Academy of St Olave's open 40th anniversary season with Winter In Paris concert

At 8pm, the York chamber orchestra presents Winter In Paris in the medieval church of St Olave’s, Marygate, where the programme will be built around Mozart’s lively Symphony No 31, the “Paris” symphony, written when the composer was only 22.

The evening begins with Rossini’s rousing overture to The Silken Ladder; the Academy’s strings then perform Czech composer Josef Suk’s dreamy Meditation on the St Wenceslas Chorale, before five wind players play Nielsen’s neo-classical Wind Quintet.

Musical director Alan George, who is also violist with the Fitzwilliam Quartet, says: "Mozart’s Paris symphony is one of his most vigorous and stirring works and is sure to brush off any remaining cobwebs after the festive season.

"The Suk and Nielsen works will be an excellent opportunity to showcase the skills of our string and wind ensembles, and of course the Silken Ladder overture is among Rossini’s finest works in the genre. We hope to welcome a large audience to St Olave’s to help us celebrate the start of our 40th anniversary year."

Saturday's concert will be in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, the independent charity that provides a life-saving rapid response emergency service to cover more than five million people across Yorkshire.

Tickets are available at £14, concessions £13, students and children £5, at academyofstolaves.org.uk, on 01904 550099, in person from Visit York, in Museum Street, or on the door.