As always, we offer a varied programme of music throughout the season. We try to mix well-loved works with lesser known pieces, which we feel our audience will appreciate hearing as much as we enjoy playing. This season we welcome three conductors who are new to the Wolsey Orchestra but whose reputation goes before them.

In the first concert of our 2001/2002 season, conducted by Murray Stewart, we are pleased to welcome Stephen Smart, a renowned local player, as our soloist in Strauss' famous Horn Concerto No 1. This is preceded by the Overture to Hansel and Gretel, the opera which established Humperdinck's reputation. We end this programme with Tchaikovsky's Symphony No 4 in F minor.

2002 is Walton's centenary year, and to celebrate this fact we have chosen a programme of English music for our second concert, in February 2002 conducted by Martin Pring. Walton has an important place in the history of English music: influenced by both Elgar and the jazz age, his work is fundamentally lyrical and romantic. We start the concert with Elgar's splendid Cockaigne overture, followed by Butterworth's A Shropshire Lad, inspired by Housman's poem. From Walton's impressive output we have selected one of his finest works: the Three Arias from Troilus and Cressida.

We start the second half of this concert with Walton's Fiesta, a short piece for small orchestra written very early in his career, later revised. This is followed by Holst's St Paul's Suite for strings and we round off the concert with full orchestra in Rawsthorne's stylish and beautifully crafted Symphonic Studies.

In out May 2002 concert, conducted by Ian Hughes, we continue our policy of encouraging local talent (aided by a generous donation from a supporter) when we welcome Rachel Helleur to play Dvorak's much loved Cello Concerto. Rachel, born and bred in Ipswich, is currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music. As a brief warm up for the audience we will play Signor Bruschino II by Rossini. The second half of this concert is devoted to Bruckner's gigantic Symphony No 4 in E flat, which will use all of the orchestra's resources and stamina!

As you can see, we are looking forward to an exciting and varied season. We feel sure that you will enjoy the concerts as much as we will, and look forward to seeing you in the audience.