Conductor Forkgen joins Academy at Salle

TONY COOPER

For its annual pilgrimage to Salle Church this Saturday, June 18, the Academy of St Thomas is welcoming back Mark Forkgen to conduct. He has worked with the orchestra on several occasions, most notably at the 25th anniversary concert when the orchestra returned to St Thomas' Church in Norwich for the occasion.

The programme includes a performance of Mozart's popular Concerto for Flute and Harp performed by two young prize-winning sisters from Ireland – Fiona and Jean Kelly.

Other works include Haydn's Symphony no 49 and – especially chosen with the acoustic properties of Salle in mind – Five Variants on Dives and Lazarus by Vaughan Williams. The final work is the haunting Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten by the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt.

Fiona Kelly is on the threshold of a promising career and presently is principal flautist with the National Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. She has performed many times in her native country as well as in England, Scotland, Italy and the Czech Republic.

Her sister, Jean, studied the harp in Cork before receiving a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music, London, in 1996. Since leaving college she has led a busy life as a freelance harpist and is currently touring round Britain with the Locrian Chamber Ensemble performing various harp concerti.

Jean also plays the Celtic harp and has released a CD of Irish music as well as appearing on the film soundtrack of The Lord of the Rings. She has also performed in St Petersburg and Vienna providing the music for plays devised by Boomerang Theatre Company.

Pack a picnic and turn up a couple of hours or so before the concert and enjoy an alfresco supper in the company of fellow concertgoers in the shadow of one of the finest medieval churches to be found in the county. And don't forget one vital piece of engineering equipment – the corkscrew!

Tickets £14/£11 available from Prelude Records, St Giles', Norwich, telephone 01603 628319