THE Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra’s Magic of Mendelssohn concert takes place in the Feather Market on Sunday at 3pm.

Music lovers are invited to enjoy springtime with the ECPO as it showcases the works of one of the most soulful of romantic composers – Felix Mendelssohn.

Orchestras around the world are celebrating the bicentennial anniversary of this prolific composer’s birth in 1809 – although he died young, he started early, having composed 40 works by the time he was 11!

The concert will open with the immensely popular Hebrides overture (Fingal’s Cave). This was composed after Mendelssohn’s first visit to Britain, where he was extraordinarily affected by the misty grandeur of the wild Scottish islands.

This moody, romantic, vivid piece depicts the turbulence of the rolling waves around the cave and is as alternately calm and violent as the ocean itself.

In keeping with the theme of romance, the programme will continue with Tchaikovsky’s only violin concerto.

The work was written in less than three weeks and shows this troubled composer in a rare and brief period of happiness.

Although the concerto received mixed reviews at its premiere in 1881, it has since been firmly established as one of the most loved and admired in the violin repertory.

The soloist for this highly challenging work is Jacqueline Wedderburn-Maxwell, who won last year’s Artscape National music competition.

At the tender age of 16 she already has an impressive CV, having won a full scholarship to the Yehudi Menuhin School in England when she was 10, she is currently studying at Trinity College, London; and has performed with all our country’s major orchestras.

Mendelssohn’s magic continues with the (“Scottish”) Symphony No 3.

Although it was conceived at the same time as the overture and similarly reflects the deep impression left on the composer by his travels, this symphony took 13 years to germinate and can be considered as Mendelssohn’s final musical testament.

Inspired by the dramatic life of Mary Queen of Scots, romantic moods colour the entire symphony.

Many of the melodies and rhythms have a distinctly Scottish character, and virtuoso playing is required by all sections of the orchestra.

The concert is funded entirely by a grant from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund. Tickets are available from Computicket at R75 and R95, with a limited number of pensioners’ and pupils’ tickets at R60.