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Art Alert: El-Sakia String Orchestra to play favourite classics On Tuesday 16 April, El-Sakia String Orchestra conducted by Mohamed Saad Basha will dedicate its concert to works by Arensky, J.S. Bach and Britten
On Tuesday 16 April El-Sakia String Orchestra, conducted by its founder, Mohamed Saad Basha, will perform A. Arensky's Variations on a theme of Tchaikovsky, J. S. Bach's Concerto for Violin in D minor and B. Britten's Simple Symphony. Composed in 1894 for string orchestra, one year after the death of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), the work by Anton Arensky was a tribute to the composer. Arensky borrowed the song titled 'The Legend' from Tchaikovsky's Sixteen Songs for Children, and used it as a theme for the variations. Critics describe Arensky's composition as an important work, positioning him on the map as a composer. It is believed that the Violin Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052R, by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), was originally composed for harpsichord which, in turn, was based on the composer's previous - now lost - concerto for violin in D minor. Today, Violin Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052 is among the most popular pieces by Bach performed in concert halls. Felix Mendelssohn is known to have performed it on several occasions, while Johannes Brahms wrote a cadenza for it. The soloist of the evening will be violinist Khaled El-Shwekh, who has already performed with El-Sakia String Orchestra in previous seasons. Composed by Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976) in 1934, the Simple Symphony, Op. 4, is a work for string orchestra (or string quartet). The symphony consists of eight independent themes which, according to the composer, are entirely generated from the "material which the composer wrote between the ages of nine and twelve." El-Sakia String Orchestra was formed in October 2010 with the aim of promoting classical music through El-Sawy Culturewheel, a centre that mainly offers light music concerts to young audiences. Through the string orchestra's activities, young people gain easy access to classical music and its values. Since its formation, the orchestra gives one concert a month, on every third Tuesday of the month. Programme: Tuesday 17 March, 8pm El-Sawy Culturewheel, Wisdom Hall Under the 15 May Bridge on 26th July Street, Zamalek http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/68655.aspx
