The oboe is set to take central state with the Plymouth Symphony Orchestra later this month.

The orchestra is welcoming renowned oboist Ewan Millar for two performances of Richard Strauss’ Oboe Concerto, as well as Sibelius’ Finlandia, the Adagietto from Mahler’s Symphony No.5 and Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite.

The first concert is on Sunday, November 22 at 5.30pm at the Public Hall in Liskeard.

The second concert is on Wednesday, November 25 at 7.30pm at the Minster Church of St Andrew in Plymouth.

The opening work is Sibelius’ Finlandia, written in 1899 when Finland was under Russian rule and its press faced increasing censorship.

Its early audiences recognised the spirit of defiance in this work and it became one of the most powerful nationalist anthems of the 20th century.

In 1945 an American soldier and oboist named John de Lancie met Strauss in Bavaria and asked whether he had ever thought of writing a concerto for his instrument.

Strauss said no, but within months he wrote one. There is a wistful warmth to its long melodies, though by the finale the mood is positively playful.

Ewan Millar, who won the woodwind final of the BBC Young Musician in 2020, joins the PSO to perform this work.

Mahler’s Adagietto is often heard as a love letter to Alma Schindler, whom he married while writing his Fifth Symphony. Tender and unhurried, it captures something of the longing of early love.

The concert concludes with a more dramatic turn in Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite.

First staged in Moscow in 1877, the ballet tells of a prince and a young woman enchanted into the form of a swan. Its music moves between the glitter of the ballroom and the haunting stillness of the lake.

PSO has been engaging local audiences, showcasing talented musicians and promoting music appreciation in Plymouth and across Devon and Cornwall for 150 years – they urge you to join them!

Ticket information: www.plymouthsymphony.co.uk