The London Symphony Orchestra, recently voted one of the top five symphony orchestras in the world, is set to be back in Portsmouth for the first time since 1986.

Doing the pre-concert talk at 6.30pm and swinging the baton will be Sir John Eliot Gardiner, one of the most versatile conductors of our time.

The concert will include two of Mendelssohn’s symphonies that underline his great passion for travel. The orchestra will open with his Italian symphony, where he captures the colour and elegance of his Italian experiences, and will finish with a musical account of his exciting visit to Scotland in his Symphony No.3, known as the Scottish. These two symphonies will flank Schumann’s rarely performed but highly lyrical violin concerto, played by the hugely talented Alina Ibragimova. She has been the recipient of awards including the Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist Award 2010, Borletti-Buitoni Trust and a Classical BRIT.

The Scottish Symphony will very unusually be performed by a standing orchestra.

“Violinist Alina Ibragimova performs with “a mixture of total abandonment and total control that is in no way contradictory. She is destined to be a force in the classical music firmament for decades to come”. - The Times (UK)

Concert info:

Portsmouth Guildhall: Friday 21 March 2014 - 7.30pm. £36, £30, £25, £10 for students. £8 for school children, teachers go free. Group booking discount available

3 Course pre- and post-concert meals available at £22.50.

Tickets available online on www.portsmouthguildhall.org.uk or 0844 847 2362/ boxoffice@portsmouthguildhall.org.uk

This concert is proudly supported by Coffin Mew Solicitors.