The Manoel Theatre and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra present the next concert in the MPO at the Manoel series conducted by Brian Schembri and featuring soloist Etienne Cutajar on the horn.

Cutajar has been associate principal horn of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra since 2006. He was appointed third horn of the national orchestra at the age of 18. He then pursued a postgraduate course at the Royal Academy of Music and is also a pupil of Fergus McWilliam, horn player of the Berliner Philharmoniker.

For two consecutive years Cutajar was first horn of the European Union Youth Orchestra and has appeared as guest principal horn with some of the finest British orchestras and chamber groups and has also collaborated with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra a number of times.

Brian Schembri is the artistic director and principal conductor of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

The programme opens with Carl Maria von Weber’s Overture from Der Freischutz, followed by Richard Strauss’ second Horn Concerto, featuring Cutajar. This work represents the composer’s first real concerto since the First Horn Concerto, which was written 60 years earlier in 1883.

Closing the evening is Brahms Symphony No 4, a work which critics and academics consider by far to be a summation of its composer’s learning and technique, and a work of art that for all its complexities cuts as close to the heart as music can.

The concert take place on Friday at 8pm at the Manoel Theatre, Valletta. There will be a free pre-concert talk at 7.15pm for ticket holders.

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