Not four seasons, but eight seasons. Performed by soloists of the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, Vivaldi’s set of four concertos depicting scorching sun, searing storms and spring dances sound as evocative today as they did in the early 18th century. Few composers have matched the Italian’s combination of virtuosity with melodic outpouring and orchestral colour. One who did lived more than two centuries later in an entirely different corner of the planet. Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, interspersed with Vivaldi’s seasons in this concert, re-imagine the sound world of the Argentinian tango in music by turns debonair, sultry and evocative.

Programme

Piazzolla – The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
Vivaldi – Four Seasons

Performers

Soloists of the Oxford Philharmonic
Marios Papadopoulos Harpsichord/Director

Praised as ‘excellent’ by Gramophone magazine and ‘thoroughly impressive’ by BBC Music Magazine, the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra prides itself on creating exceptional and unique musical experiences, bringing new and engaging interpretations to well-loved works in the classical repertoire. Its continual search for excellence is underpinned by the uncompromising standards of its Founder and Music Director Marios Papadopoulos and maintained by some of the finest musicians in the UK, described by The Times as ‘glorious individual players’ and by Jessica Duchen as ‘a line-up to match any top-notch international ensemble and probably beat them on their own turf’.

The Oxford Philharmonic attracts some of the world’s greatest artists to appear in concert, including Maxim Vengerov, Valery Gergiev, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Martha Argerich, Sir András Schiff, Renée Fleming, Lang Lang, Nicola Benedetti and Vladimir Ashkenazy. In addition to its annual concert season in Oxford and touring performances across the UK, the Orchestra has a growing list of international engagements including its US debut at Carnegie Hall in June 2022.

The Orchestra is firmly committed to outreach work, taking music to areas of social and economic disadvantage. In December 2021 the Orchestra’s sub-principal violin Jamie Hutchinson was awarded the ABO’s prestigious Salomon Prize in recognition of the educational initiatives she spearheaded with the Orchestra’s education team during the pandemic.

The Orchestra and its Music Director were awarded the City of Oxford’s Certificate of Honour in 2013, in recognition of their contribution to education and performance in Oxford.