ONE of today’s most popular violinists is to appear in concert at Basingstoke’s The Anvil on Sunday 24 April. Winner of the Best Female Artist at the 2012 and 2013 Classical BRIT Awards, Nicola Benedetti, will play an evening of violin concertos by Mozart and Vivaldi, joining the leading UK baroque ensemble, Armonico Consort, conducted by Christopher Monks.

With her innate musicianship and captivating stage presence, Nicola Benedetti has become one of today’s most sought-after performers. As well as playing in concert halls the world over, she performed at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games to a TV audience of 9.4 million. She is a firm favourite on Classic FM and a regular face on TV, most recently presenting a programme on BBC4 on Virtuoso Violinists at the BBC. She is also a passionate advocate for music education and developing young talent and is the official musical ‘big sister’ to Sistema Scotland’s Big Noise project to encourage children to learn instruments.

The concert will see Nicola perform two concertos by Italian baroque master, Antonio Vivaldi, as well as Mozart’s sunny and uplifting Concerto No 5, known as the ‘Turkish’. The critically-acclaimed, Armonico Consort choir and baroque players will complete the programme with Mozart’s Solemn Vespers.

Nicola Benedetti and Armonico Consort are at The Anvil, Basingstoke, on Sunday 24 April, 7.30pm. Visit www.armonico.org.uk for details.