The Sir Robert Martin symphony concert at De Montfort Hall in 1964 included a performance of Alan Ridout’s Three Pictures of Picasso. It was Ridout who then introduced the orchestra to his fellow composer and friend, Bryan Kelly in 1966. Over the years the LSSO valued Bryan’s whit, attractive music, clear-cut conducting style and friendship. Works of his performed by the LSSO included Cuban Suite, Divertissement, New Orleans Suite and the overture Provence. There were also two major commissions: Sinfonia Concertante for the 1967 festival and the overture Sancho Panza which was written for the 21^st birthday celebrations of the County School of Music in 1969. Many a Kelly work has appeared on LSSO concert programmes both in the UK and abroad. Sancho Panza was a mainstay of the Berlin tour of 1969. In a nine-year period, Bryan appeared with the orchestra in Leicester, Oxford, Paris and Dusseldorf and he also attended a number of Easter residential courses to rehearse his own music. He even threw a fabulous party for the orchestra at his house near Oxford in 1970. The LSSO recorded the Cuban Suite for Argo in 1970 the conductor being Eric Pinkett in the presence of the composer.

For further information on Bryan Kelly, take a look at the reviews section of this site and download Eric Pinkett’s book Time to Remember to read more about him in Eric’s own words.