The New Bristol Sinfonia's latest musical escapade attempts to explore just that using a full symphony orchestra at the Victoria Rooms in April.

Starting with the hair-raising brilliance of American composer John Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine, they move through the cooler shades of Debussy’s Nuages, depicting clouds in an ever-changing sky, to the crystalline beauty of Webern’s arrangement of J. S. Bach’s Ricercare from the Musical Offering.

To cap this exploration of the colour of sound, they will perform Rimsky-Korsakov’s ever- popular Scheherazade, telling the tale of a young woman forced to stay her execution from a cruel sultan by entertaining him with 1001 nights of adventure stories.

'Magisterial sound'

Artistic director James Lowe, who will also be conducting the concert, says he has always been fascinated by the variety of sounds an orchestra can produce.

"Even in these days of electronic wizardry filmmakers still prefer to opt for the magisterial sound of the full symphony orchestra; there is simply nothing better at sparking off the imagination.

"The Adams is a particular thrill and guaranteed to get the heart racing – combine this with the lustre of Scheherazade and we have a real treat for the ears!"

This concert is the second in the orchestra’s 2003 season, following on from a moving tribute concert for Bristolian Ben Sloman in Bristol Cathedral in February.

Later this year they will perform a family concert in May in which they attempt a musical journey Around the World in 80 Minutes, and in June will perform a programme based on romance with Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet and Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto.

The Colour of Sound can be heard at Bristol’s Victoria Rooms on Saturday 12th April 2003 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £12, £8 conc's, £5 student, £1 child. Box office: 07747 115 266.