Afternoon on 3 - BBC National Orchestra of Wales on the Road - Mid-Wales

BBC National Orchestra of Wales - around Wales and beyond Each season the BBC National Orchestra of Wales gives concerts throughout the principality, visiting festivals and promoting its own seasons of 'North Wales Tours' as well as appearing in the South, including its home at BBC Hoddinott Hall. In this week of Afternoon on 3 we visit some of the festivals and venues through Wales, with comments from the players, and in Friday's programme we venture further afield and discover the strong ties between Wales and Italy. Presented by Penny Gore. Today - Mid Wales Today we accompany the BBC National Orchestra of Wales to concerts in venues across mid Wales, visiting three towns dramatically situated in stunning rural landscape. Aberystwyth, on the west coast, is host to both the National Library of Wales and an award winning arts centre, part of the University of Aberystwyth, where we join the orchestra. Principal conductor Thierry Fischer was with them earlier this year for their annual spring "tour". Cherubini's dramatic, bloodcurdling overture to Cherubini's opera Medée sets the scene, followed by Schumann's "Spring" symphony, his first, positively glowing with irrepressible optimism. Newtown is our next port of call, almost exactly the mid point of Wales. The orchestra is a vital artistic lifeline for the community here, appearing at Theatr Hafren, where the players particular enjoy the culinary standards set by the adjoining Coleg Powys when they visit. Young Scot Rory MacDonald is the conductor for a concert given earlier this year, featuring Korngold's violin concerto with soloist Matthew Trusler, a work boasting more than a hint of Hollywood sparkle from this film composer. We're still in the company of Rory for our last concert this afternoon, visiting Brecon. Theatr Brycheiniog nestles at the foot of Brecon Beacons National Park, set alongside the picturesque Brecon to Monmouth Canal (it recently become the first solar powered theatre in Wales). We're also joined by recent Radio 3 New Generation Artist Giuliano Sommerhalder for the cool, jazz-inspired trumpet concerto by Tomasi. 2.30pm Cherubini: Medee Overture Thierry Fischer, conductor 2.35pm Schumann: Symphony No.1in B flat major "Spring" Thierry Fischer, conductor 3.10pm Smetana: The Bartered Bride Overture Thierry Fischer, conductor 3.15pm Korngold: Violin Concerto Matthew Trusler, violin Rory MacDonald, conductor 3.40pm Barber: Adagio for Strings Rory MacDonald, conductor 3.50pm Tomasi: Trumpet Concerto Giuliano Sommerhalder, trumpet Rory MacDonald, conductor 4.10pm Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.4 in F minor Rory MacDonald, conductor.