CONCERT PREVIEW: Fascinating performance in prospect from quintet visiting Spalding

An exciting and intriguing afternoon of musical excellence from all-women guitar group Gitarrissima is in store at Spalding’s South Holland Centre next weekend.

The Vienna-based quintet, comprising Bulgarian octave guitarist Olga Dimitrova, Austrians Maria Benischek and Anna Lesjak, Japanese musician Ayako Kaisho and Russian music guitarist Antonina Ovchinnikova will be in concert on Sunday, February 18, at 3pm.

Described by reviewers as “offering sounds from all over the world with great brio, virtuosity and individuality”, Gitarrissima come from the same Austrian city as composers Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Haydn, Mahler and Bruckner.

It will be the group’s second visit to Spalding after last delighting their South Holland Concerts’ audience in November 2007 when both Maria and Olga were part of the group.

Gitarrissima’s programme includes works as varied as Johan Strauss II, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Bizet and Elgar, alongside American composers George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, Bulgarian Petko Stainov and Georgian Aram Khachaturian.

David Jones, chairman of South Holland Concerts, said: “I have heard Gitarrissima twice and have been very impressed by how these five ladies can produce such variety of tone, even with the ability to sound like something approaching a full orchestra.

“It is going to be a particularly attractive afternoon’s entertainment.”

Tickets for Gitarrissima priced £13.50 and £12 (over 60s, disabled and carer), or free for under 16s and full-time students, are available from the Box Office on 01775 764777.

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