Tasmin Little

Jac van Steen, who will conduct the concert.

20 October 2011

A Little Concert

In May Tasmin Little received the much coveted Critics’ Award at the 2011 Classic BRITs for her interpretation of the piece that she will play this Friday in the Ulster Hall – Elgar’s Violin Concerto.

In one of the ‘must see concerts’ of the Season, Tasmin is the second Classic BRIT Award winner to play with the UO this year (the first was Jac Liebeck) and she is really looking forward to it. “I love playing the Elgar because the piece is such a journey!” Tasmin said.

 “More than any other violin concerto, there is such a feeling of momentousness from the outset – it’s on a massive canvas, almost like a symphony! There is a huge emphasis on the relationship between the orchestra and soloist and I’m looking forward to playing it again with the Ulster Orchestra.”

The last time Tasmin played this wistful, serene and noble concerto was with Vernon Handley, a former Principal Conductor with the Orchestra. Sadly, he died in 2008, “so there will be an added poignancy to playing the piece in Belfast on this occasion,” she said.

While looking forward to the concert, it is a challenging concerto to play. “The sheer scale of it, nearly 50 minutes, is a challenge, but also the violinist rarely gets a moment’s break,” Tasmin remarked. “There are a couple of major tuttis in the first movement, but after that’s it’s pretty non–stop. Also, it is very virtuosic so I have to be in good shape to play the piece!”

Tasmin also said that it is quite a feat to shape it properly so that it does not feel over–long. “It is also a mammoth piece to memorise. All in all, a very major workout for the soloist!”

The Times said of a previous performance of Elgar’s Violin Concerto that her interpretation ‘seems to grow ever more refined.’ With Jac van Steen conducting and Weber’s Overture Oberon alongside Brahms’ Symphony No.3 on the menu, it should be a great night.

Find out on this Friday!

Tickets are still available for the concert that starts at 7.45pm in the Ulster Hall, the home of the Ulster Orchestra.

This Concert is a part of the Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s