European Union Chamber Orchestra at Holyhead

Oct 1 2008 By Daniel Bissett

THE European Union Chamber Orchestra soloists make a welcome return to the Ucheldre Centre, Holyhead, this weekend.

After its sell-out concert in 2007, the orchestra brings as its soloist, leading Welsh pianist Iwan Llewelyn-Jones, with director Matthias Wollong, first concert master of the Dresden Staatskapelle.

In 2007 the Orchestra’s tours included major concert halls in the UK, the Waterford Festival in Ireland, Germany, the Flanders Festival in Belgium, Festival Cervantino in Mexico, Palau de la Musica in Valencia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

In 2008, its schedule includes tours across Europe, returning to Spain, the Baltic states, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, Holland, and Turkey. The evenings programme consists of Bach, Mozart, Schubert and Haydn. The orchestra gave its first concerts in 1981 and has since gained a worldwide reputation as a musical ambassador for the European Union.

Regular tours take it worldwide and Performances have included those in the presence of Queen Noor of Jordan, the King and Queen of Belgium and its own patron, Queen Sofia of Spain.

In 1999, the orchestra gave a concert to mark the 77th birthday of King Sihanouk of Cambodia in the Royal Palace at Phnom Penh and in 2000 performed for the birthday of Princess Galyani in Bangkok.

The orchestra will perform on Saturday, October 4, at 7.30pm. Call (01407) 763361, or e-mail box-office@ucheldre.org