Eshantha conducts from the keyboard at SOSL concert

Eshantha Peiris will conduct and perform as soloist in Bach’s piano concerto in D minor, on February 23 at the Ladies’ College hall at the first concert for the year 2013 by the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka. J. S. Bach’s concerto originally written for the harpsichord has been performed by many great pianists and is one of the few concerti that has been always in the performance repertoire from the time of its composition, nearly two hundred and seventy five years ago.

It is a work full of rhythmic vitality and direct emotional impact.

The concert opens with the brilliantly exciting ‘Arrival of the queen of Sheba’ from “Solomon’ by G. F. Handel, who ranks along with Bach as a master of the Baroque style.

Excerpts from two of Handel’s most popular orchestral compositions, ‘Water Music’ and ‘Music for the Royal Fireworks’, are also being performed in the first half of the concert.

Mozart’s forty first Symphony occupies the entire second half of the programme. This work is

considered to be one of the greatest symphonies ever written. In it, Mozart achieves a God like expression of perfection, far removed from earthly cares, justifying the name ‘Jupiter’ associated with it.

The ‘fugal’ last movement which builds up to a tremendous climax to end the movement and the symphony, complements perfectly the baroque first half of the concert.

The concert is sponsored by Mohan Tissanayagam and is co- sponsored by the Commercial Bank, with Electronic Media sponsors YES FM & MTV SPORTS and Creative Partner Lowe LDB.

Tickets are available from the Lionel Wendt Theatre office and at the door.