The first concert in Barnes Music Society's Stars of the Future season took place on Thursday 5 October and was dedicated to the memory of Sir Malcolm Arnold, a patron of the Society, who died on 23 September.

This season's the emphasis is on young professional musicians early in their solo carers. On this occasion the Greek born violinist, Efi Christodoulu was joined by the pianist Sophia Rahman, in a programme including Sibelius, Wieniawaski, Brahms and naturally Malcolm Arnold.

Next year will be the fiftieth anniversary of Sibelius' death and, whilst most music lovers are familiar with his seven symphonies and other orchestral works like Finlandia and the Violin Concerto,few I suspect are familiar with his six Humoresques, Op.87 and 89. Sibelius trained as a violinist and played in student orchestras in his youth. These pieces are quite late in his output, the same period as the fifth symphony, at a time when the composer was toying with the idea of a second violin concerto and some of the Humoresques' material was possibly conceived with a concerto in mind. Sibelius wrote that these radiant pieces convey something of "the anguish of existence, fitfully lit up by the sun" and behind their outward elegance there is an all pervasive sadness. As one would expect from a Sibelius competition finalist, Ms. Christodoulous had full mastery of these virtuoso pieces.

One of Malcolm Arnold's skills was writing for a wide variety of solo instruments, usually for friends. By the end he had seventeen concertos and a handful of other works involving solo instruments, typically his brief Five Pieces Op 84. Deeply felt, with more than a hint of nostalgia and beautifully accompanied by Sophia Rahman, they displayed many typically Arnold traits, including, in Moto Perpetuo, his love of jazz.

The arresting solo violin opening to Wieniawski's Variations of an Original Theme, Op15 commanded instant attention and, when the piano joins in, gives way to a lyrical but still virtuoso outpouring of tunes designed to show off the myriad aspects of violin technique. The rapt audience was completely bewitched.

Brahms' Third Violin Sonata provided the most substantial fare in the programme, a full-blooded romantic welcome relief after the fireworks in the first part of the concert. The lyrical Adagio and the warmth of the violinist's tone gave Sophia Rahman ample opportunity to show her depth of feeling as a most sensitive pianist.

This first concert was also notable for the World Premiere of It Takes' , a fast tango' by David Matthews, one of Britain's most distinguished contemporary composers, who was present.

The composer first used a tango tune in his Fourth Symphony and the Barnes Version' is the fifth time Matthews has used it. This was written specially for Ms. Christodoulu at the suggestion of Edward Clark, the new Deputy Chairman of Barnes Music Society.

The fitting encore to this exciting opening concert was Elgar's Chanson de Matin.

The next concert takes place on 9 November at St. Mary's Parish Church and features the outstanding young German pianist Paul Cibis playing Liszt and Beethoven.

Peter Brown