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For this concert, we welcome conductor Frederic Chaslin for music from Mendelssohn, Dvořák and a world premiere from British-French-Israeli composer, Nimrod Borenstein. Borenstein’s first Cello Concerto premiered in 2013 and the world premiere of his second – which we hear today – was written for today’s soloist, Corinne Morris.

Mendelssohn’s The Fair Melusina overture depicts a woman who bore a curse turning her into a water sprite from the waist down every Saturday. This magical piece, opening with a burbling motif, captures and conveys something quintessentially aquatic. Despite being one of his least-known orchestral works, Mendelssohn wrote a letter to his sister, Fanny, and declared it ‘the best’ and ‘most intimate’ piece he had ever produced.

We also hear the second Slavonic Rhapsody from Dvořák. Dramatic in tone, this rhapsody brings energy before it relaxes into a waltz-like tune.