The West Dorset Magazine, March 25, 2022
47
Culture
Cellist Arturo Serna at the Grandsen Classical music lovers will be in for a treat tomorrow evening, March 26, when Dorset County Orchestra performs in the Grandsen Hall in Sherborne. Gifted soloist and the orchestra’s conductor, Arturo Serna will be performing Mozart’s Overture to the Marriage of Figaro, followed by Dvorak’s Cello Concerto culminating with the flourish of Schumann’s – Symphony No. 3 The Rhenish. Dorset County Orchestra has long been active on the local orchestral scene, and usually perform three concerts a year, in varying venues across the county, but like many musical organisations during the past two years, have had to cancel or scale down their performances. But now they are delighted to be bringing this programme to Sherborne, home to their resident and guest conductor John Jenkins. Venezuelan-born British conductor Arturo Serna has a dynamic career as a conductor, cellist and teacher. His musical journey began as a second generation graduate of El Sistema in Venezuela and was influenced by his mother, a violinist with the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra. After leaving Venezuela, he studied in France, Switzerland and England and holds a Masters in
CELLO ACE: Artura Serna conducts the Dorset County Orchestra in Sherborne tomorrow night
conducting. Arturo currently conducts the Dorset County Orchestra, Exeter Symphony Orchestra, Axe Vale Orchestra and Shaftesbury Symphony Orchestra. Arturo teaches at Sherborne Girls, King’s Bruton, Hazel Grove and Lewiston schools and many of his former pupils
are now studying at world class conservatoires and university or play active roles in the music profession. Leader Bärbel Glaser graduated with a diploma in orchestral music and a degree in music education from the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Academy, in Leipzig, in
former East Germany. Now with more than 20 years’ experience as a freelance musician in Dorset and Hampshire, she leads the Dorset County Orchestra, Dorset Chamber Orchestra and Wimborne Chamber Orchestra plus many choral societies. She is also the leader of Magna Sinfonia and the Parry String Quartet and enjoys solo recitals, as well as teaching at local schools and privately. John Jenkins joins the orchestra to conduct the Cello Concerto. He has led a varied musical career, from chorister at Bristol Cathedral, organ scholar of Durham University where he conducted both the
University College Orchestra and Chamber Choir. He has conducted the Derwent Singers, enjoys regular engagements as organist and continuo player, whilst his choral work with young people has embraced music courses across the country. John was appointed organist of Sherborne School for Girls in 1992, becoming Director of Music in 1996, and co-conductor of the Sherborne Schools’ Symphony Orchestra and Choral Society. Tickets are available from Winstones Book Shop on Cheap Street.
