Nigel Kennedy: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons

36 years ago, a young violinist changed the landscape of British music with an electrifying recording of four violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi. The violinist was Nigel Kennedy, and the concertos were The Four Seasons – masterpieces of mood, evocation and musical storytelling that take listeners on an imaginary journey through the unbridled joys of spring, the heat of summer, the melancholy resignation of autumn and the brutal ferocity of winter. The Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, which includes some of the finest instrumental players in Britain and enjoys relationships with a select handful of the world’s leading soloists, makes its Royal Festival Hall debut in this concert following appearances at Carnegie Hall in New York and the Musikverein in Vienna. Before Vivaldi’s concertos, Kennedy brings something special of his own. The composer’s Five Dedications – part of his self-penned collection My World – are deeply personal pieces straddling the worlds of pop, jazz and folk in which the violinist pays tribute to musicians whose works have shaped him, with luscious tunefulness and heartfelt playing. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear a musical icon breathe life into another, and reveal a little of his intriguing self too. Performers Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra Nigel Kennedy violin Repertoire Nigel Kennedy : Dla Jarka; Melody in the wind; Fallen forest; Solitude; Gibb it Interval Vivaldi : The Four Seasons Need to know Age guidance For ages 7+