THE St Cecilia Orchestra spring concert will be under the baton of its distinguished founder and conductor, Xen Kelsey, with soloist Toby White returning to his home town as one of the leading young cellists of his generation.

It takes place on Saturday, March 4, at Holy Trinity, Ripon.

The St Cecilia will be in chamber orchestra mode to perform best loved works in the repertoire.

Prokofiev wrote his Classical Symphony in the countryside near Petrograd, away from the turmoil of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. Lasting only 15 minutes, it is in the neo-Classical style and emulates the early symphonies of Haydn and Mozart.

Sibelius’ Romance for Strings dates from 1903, a happy period of his life. This miniature, lasting all of five minutes, is a simple setting of a melody.

Haydn’s Symphony no 99 was written in Vienna 1793 in anticipation of his second visit to London. The premiere took place on February 17, 1794 in Hanover Square Rooms, directed from the fortepiano by the composer himself.

The seventh of Haydn’s 12 London Symphonies, it is the first scored for two of that fashionable new instrument, the clarinet.

The highlight of the evening will be the Shostakovitch Cello Concerto no 1. This dates from 1959 and was dedicated to Rostropovitch.

It is considered one of the most difficult and challenging works in the cello repertoire, autobiographical with an anti-heroic theme, and a memorable opening that leads to four movements in two sections.

Soloist Toby White hails from Ripon. Formerly a member of St Cecilia, he is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music where he was awarded a scholarship to study for a master’s degree, and is a recipient of the Pierre Fournier Trust for outstanding young cellists.

His concerto debut was in 2010 at Wells Cathedral. Also a keen player of chamber music, he studied with the Endelion and Chilingirian Quartets. His own quartet won the International Bloch Competition in 2013. In 2016 he broadcast on Radio 3 with the Vila Lobos Project.

Tickets are available from Little Ripon Bookshop, Cathedral Bookshop, Bargain Books and on 01765 677413, concessions available.