MARVELLOUS MAESTROS

About

In a concerto, a star soloist steps into the limelight, accompanied by an orchestra. Classical composers wrote flashy solo parts for their friends, pupils, or — if they really wanted to show off — themselves.

Mozart's Clarinet Concerto was written for his frenemy Anton Stadler, who was a brilliant clarinettist but liked to borrow money from the already cash-strapped Mozart. The clarinet was still being invented at this time, and this concerto is technically written for a bespoke version of the instrument. Stadler, who invented this special clarinet, was virtually the only person who could or did play it at the time.

Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 features three solo instruments: harpsichord, flute and violin, but the harpsichord is the undisputed star of the show. It has a dazzling solo passage, written to impress all who were listening – most likely premiered by Johann Sebastian himself.

LMP are working with Create Music in East Sussex to deliver education projects in the surrounding area. This concert is ideal for students as it falls before the exam period and features works found on a range of GCSE syllabuses.