Lichfield Sinfonia will welcome talented young oboist Luke Cutler to perform Strauss’s Oboe Concerto in D Major on 17th May 2026 at Lichfield Guildhall.
The programme also includes two pieces inspired by Mediterranean travels: Nielsen’s Helios Overture and Sibelius’s Second Symphony.
Luke is a third-year student at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where he was awarded the prestigious Winifred Micklam Prize in his first year, becoming the first oboist in the prize’s history to receive the award for best overall performance. Lichfield Sinfonia has a strong tradition of supporting emerging talent and is looking forward to performing alongside him.
Composed in 1945, Strauss’s Oboe Concerto was one of his final works, often described as part of his “Indian summer”. It is a joyful and much-loved piece, known for its lyrical melodies and virtuosic passages.
I first came across this concerto on a YouTube video of François Leleux playing this and I was utterly enamoured with both the piece and Leleux’s performance of it. This concerto has almost every aspect of musical emotion present within it and showcases the later stages of Richard Strauss’s musical journey. I am particularly fond of the second movement as it allows me to be my most vulnerable yet forceful towards the high points of it. I have wanted to play a concerto since I was young and I am so grateful to have this opportunity to play this piece with an orchestra! – Luke Cutler, oboist
Lichfield Sinfonia, conducted by Sara Birchall and led by Emily Bowen, brings together musicians of all ages and backgrounds, united by a shared passion for performing. The orchestra will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2027.
The concert opens with Nielsen’s Helios Overture, written in 1903 following a stay in Athens. The piece musically depicts the sun’s journey across the sky, from dawn to dusk.
The evening concludes with Sibelius’s Second Symphony, composed in 1901. Widely regarded as one of his most powerful works, Sibelius described it as “a confession of the soul”.
This programme is quite magical and I think will capture the imagination of everyone.
We are delighted to be welcoming Luke to perform the Strauss oboe concerto. This concerto is almost classical in mood with quite a small orchestra. It shows off the versatility and beauty of the instrument with some challenging and very virtuous solo writing. The overall effect is quite simplistic and pure although the parts for both soloist and orchestra are often complex and intricate!
Our opening overture is both beautiful to play and listen to. Nielsen sums it up: ‘Stillness and darkness—Then the sun rises to joyous songs of praise—Wanders its golden way—quietly sinks in the sea.’
Through his wonderful scoring we will try our very best to evoke this picture for our audience. Every section of the orchestra has a role to play, with the horn section particularly capturing the glory of sunrise and sunset.
If you are a fan of Sibelius, you cannot be disappointed by his second symphony! If you are not familiar with his work, I hope this inspires you to listen to more. It is a joy to perform! – Sara Birchall, conductor
The concert takes place on Sunday 17th May 2026 at 7.30pm at Lichfield Guildhall.
Tickets are available at:
https://www.ticketsource.com/lichfieldsinfonia
For more information, visit the Lichfield Sinfonia website or follow them on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/LichfieldSinfonia/
Excellent! Can’t wait to hear Luke perform the concerto!