BEETHOVEN’S majestic Symphony No 9 (Chorale) forms the centrepiece of an exciting programme of German masterpieces to be performed in Salisbury Cathedral next Saturday, March 21.

For this concert, Salisbury Symphony Orchestra joins forces with Salisbury Musical Society for Beethoven’s Symphony under the baton of David Halls, director of music at Salisbury Cathedral.

The orchestra, led by Ros Bromley (pictured), will open the concert with Wagner’s exuberant Prelude to Act 3 of Lohengrin, to be followed by the sublime Four Last Songs by Strauss, with Bristol-based soprano Charlotte Newstead taking the solo.

“The Strauss is a piece of music the orchestra has long wanted to play,” said publicity officer Jonathan Hodgetts.

“It is a very demanding work with a gorgeous violin solo for Ros, our leader, to play. It is also lovely to be playing in the cathedral again.”

Taking the alto solo in the chorale symphony is Deborah Mackay, who is also a doctor specialising in human genetics at the Wessex regional genetics laboratory at Salisbury district hospital.

Sir Walter Alcock, organist of Salisbury Cathedral, formed Salisbury Symphony Orchestra in 1917 as Salisbury Orchestral Society and the orchestra today is very community-based, consisting of accomplished amateur musicians, mostly from the Salisbury area.

Tickets for the concert are available from Salisbury City Hall box office on 01722 434434. Tickets will also be available at the cathedral on the day.