Thaw the icy chill of winter with the warm glow of Bay of Plenty Symphonia’s Strings Attached concert – an exploration of string orchestra music from the sparkling elegance of the Baroque to the distinctive voice of New Zealand composition.

Concertmaster of the orchestra Rebecka Beetz said Strings Attached – on August 16 from 3pm at Tauranga’s St Peters in the City – will open with two of Vivaldi’s Concertos for Strings.

“They are less well-known that his Four Seasons, but they burst with the same rhythmic vitality, expressive lyricism, and the infectious energy that have made Vivaldi so popular,” Beetz said.

She said the symphonia’s string players had loved working with Lara Hall, who will be conducting the concert.

“Lara is lecturer of violin and viola at the University of Waikato, and has appeared as violin soloist with the orchestra twice in recent times, and it is wonderful for us string players to learn from her,” Beetz said.

The one-hour concert would also feature a Mozart Divertimento as well as Suite for String Orchestra by Dorothy Freed – a rarely heard female New Zealand composer.

Rounding off the performance would be the ever-popular Ring Around the Moon Suite by David Farquhar, in an arrangement for string orchestra.

The cost for tickets for the Strings Attached concert at St Peters in the City, Spring St, is adults $20, students $5 online at Eventfinda or on the door.

Thanks to Bay of Plenty Symphonia, The Weekend Sun has two double passes to Strings Attached to give away to two lucky readers who can tell us what time the August 16 concert begins.

To enter, visit: www.sunlive.co.nz and click on the ‘competitions’ tab. Entries must be in by Tuesday, August 11.