CGCO welcomes conductor Jack Gonzalez-Harding and oboist Ewan Millar to perform the Strauss Oboe Concerto in our December concert
Programme
Prokofiev: Sinfonietta
Strauss: Oboe Concerto
Mendelssohn: Symphony No.4 “Italian”
Tickets
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Adult tickets: £20
Concessions: £15
Under 16: £10
CGCO welcomes conductor Jack Gonzalez-Harding and oboist Ewan Millar to perform the Strauss Oboe Concerto in our December concert
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Ewan Millar
Ewan is one of the most prominent young oboists in the UK. In 2020 Ewan won the woodwind final of BBC Young Musician, advancing to the Grand Final, and giving an “exemplary, richly shaded account” (The Guardian), of Navarro’s “Legacy” concerto with the BBC Philharmonic. In 2025 he won the coveted Gold Medal at the Royal Over-Seas League competition at Wigmore Hall.
Prokofiev Sinfonietta
Experience a hidden gem of early 20th-century neoclassicism with Sergei Prokofiev’s Sinfonietta in A major. Originally composed in 1909 and twice refined to perfection, this brilliant five-movement work radiates the same bubbly, champagne-like effervescence and wit as his world-famous Classical Symphony.
Brimming with rhythmic energy, dancing tarantella themes, and cheeky harmonic twists, the Sinfonietta pairs Mozartian elegance with Prokofiev’s signature modernist edge. Airy, ebullient, and delightfully inventive, it is a sunny and often overlooked orchestral masterpiece.
Strauss Oboe Concerto
The Strauss Oboe Concerto is a radiant, sun-drenched masterpiece that stands as one of the greatest achievements in the instrument's repertoire.
Written in 1945 by an 81-year-old Richard Strauss at the end of his life, this piece is a stunning example of his late "Indian Summer" style. It overflows with effortless lyricism, grace, and dazzling, virtuosic interplay between the oboe and a delicate, transparent orchestra. Balancing nostalgic tenderness with joyful optimism, it offers audiences a breathtaking and deeply moving celebration of pure musical beauty.
Mendelssohn Symphony No.4 “Italian”
Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, known as the "Italian" Symphony, stands as one of the most radiant and beloved orchestral masterworks of the Romantic era. Conceived during his grand European tour between 1830 and 1831, the symphony is a vivid, symphonic "postcard" that captures the pure joy, warm Mediterranean sunshine, and breathtaking landscapes of the Italian countryside. Writing home to his family from Rome, an inspired Mendelssohn famously declared it to be "the jolliest piece I have ever done."
Commissioned by the London Philharmonic Society and premiered under the composer's own baton in 1833, this four-movement masterpiece beautifully blends classical elegance with the vivid emotional imagery of the early Romantic movement.
Jack Gonzalez-Harding
British conductor Jack Gonzalez-Harding is Conducting Fellow of Hamburg’s NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester.
This season Jack debuts with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, London Philharmonic Orchestra at Glyndebourne Festival Opera and the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra. Next season, Jack returns to Glyndebourne to conduct both opera and concert productions.
Making Music is the UK’s leading organisation for leisure-time music, with over 3,500 music groups in membership. Since its creation in 1961 its Philip and Dorothy Green Young Artists scheme (PDGYA) has helped to launch the careers of dozens of young musicians, including those of Steven Isserlis, Elizabeth Watts and Craig Ogden. It is made possible by the Philip and Dorothy Green Music Trust, which promotes young artists and composers. makingmusic.org.uk/pdgya
St. Peter’s Church, Notting Hill
The venue for our concert is St Peter's Church in Notting Hill, a building of notable architectural quality, listed Grade II*. The interior of the building is very elaborate, with many of the pillars boasting gilded capitals.
To get to St Peter’s Church using public transport, the closest Tube Station is Notting Hill Gate. The closest Bus Stop is PT-Stanley Gardens and PS-Chepstow Villas.
On-street parking outside the church is limited to RBKC resident permit holders, with some prepay spaces also available.
Address: 90 Kensington Park Road, London, W11 2PL