Nature Unchained

Experience “Nature Unchained” as it transports you across vast horizons, surging rivers, and untamed landscapes, all brought to life by the Worthing Symphony Orchestra. The program opens with Jerome Moross’s **The Big Country**, whose wide-open skies and cinematic grandeur set the stage for the frontier spirit. From there, John Barry’s **Dances with Wolves** offers a reflective beauty, its haunting melodies forging a profound connection between humanity and the land. The Mediterranean garden at La Mortella on the island of Ischia inspires William Walton’s **Cello Concerto**, masterfully performed by Laura van der Heijden—countrys’ leading cellist and 2025 Royal Philharmonic Society Instrumentalist Award recipient—whose deeply expressive playing places the soloist at the heart of a shifting emotional landscape. The concert culminates with Bedřich Smetana’s evocative depiction of the Vltava, where the river’s winding journey through the countryside unfolds in vivid scenes, building to a majestic, unforgettable close. By blending cinematic, impressionistic, and deeply personal moments, “Nature Unchained” celebrates the landscapes that shape us, offering music that surges, sparkles, and ultimately carries us away. Laura van der Heijden, a 2025 Royal Philharmonic Society Instrumentalist Award laureate, has captivated audiences and critics alike since winning the BBC Young Musician in 2012 at age 15, and has collaborated with stars such as Sir Andrew Davis, Alpesh Chauhan, Nick Collon, Richard Egarr, Gemma New, and Karl‑Heinz Steffens; recent concerto highlights include the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, CBSO, Aurora Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and Britten Sinfonia. External links: Details & tickets