HSO's concert on November 18 will open with César Cui's Petite Suite No. 3, which is an exciting smorgasbord of fluctuating moods and forms.

The work sits neatly within the unmistakeable aesthetic of his contemporaries, the so-called 'Mighty Handful' of 19th century composers who set about curating a distinctively Russian style.

This will be followed by Schubert's Symphony No. 6, which, athough one of his later symphonies, was composed when Schubert was in his early twenties so still abounds with levity and youth.

The second half will start with Charles Ives' landmark The Unanswered Question, which stacks harshly contrasting musical elements, operating at different speeds, on top of one another.

The effect is both jarring and haunting as a solo trumpet ponders the 'perennial question of existence', striving in vain for a definitive answer.

For the concert's finale we are absolutely thrilled to be performing Schumann's Piano Concerto with Cordelia Williams. One of the composer's most poignant and subtly articulated works, the concerto was so praised by its dedicatee and premiere soloist,

Clara Schumann: '... how rich in invention, how interesting from the beginning to the end, how fresh and what a beautiful coherent whole!'.

Tickets are available from: Members of the orchestra; Hitchin Information (1A Churchyard, cash only); www.ticketsource.co.uk/hitchin-symphony

In Advance £12 (available until midday on the Friday before the concert). On the Door £15. Accompanied under 16s are admitted free of charge.