The musical director of the Isle of Man Symphony Orchestra is set to retire after one final concert at the end of this month.

Maurice Powell first played with the orchestra – known as the Manx Sinfonia at that time - in the horn section in 1997 and then became principal horn in 2000.

He was a founder member of the Mill Ensemble that year – a chamber ensemble drawn from the principal wind players in the orchestra – and was appointed overall musical director in 2004.

A spokesperson from the Orchestra said: ‘Since becoming director in 2004, the orchestra has grown to become a true symphony orchestra and has broadened its repertoire to include many of classical music’s most popular and challenging orchestral works.

‘Maurice leaves a rich legacy of innovative concerts, with such highlights as Saint-Saëns monumental “Organ” symphony, Sibelius’ second symphony, Rimsky-Korsakov’s orchestral showpiece “Scheherazade”, Rachmaninov’s second piano concerto and in 2016, the first complete performance on the island of the violin concerto by Manxland’s adopted national composer Haydn Wood, with Tasmin Little as the popular soloist.

‘Maurice is also a noted researcher into various aspects of the island’s musical culture, and the story of entertainment during the island’s golden years as a popular holiday destination.

‘”Manxland’s King of Music” was published in 2018, and the sequel “You Lucky People” will appear in 2025. His latest book, “A Band for All Seasons”, the story of Ramsey Town Band, has just been published.

‘He is also the presenter of Manx Radio’s “A Little Light Music”, a personal selection of classical pieces, ancient and modern and familiar and unfamiliar, broadcast on Thursday evenings at 9pm.’

The Orchestra’s Gala Concert will take place at 2.30pm on Saturday, November 24 at the Villa Marina.

The programme for Maurice’s final appearance with the orchestra includes Elgar’s cello concerto, with guest soloist Evva Mizerska who last appeared at the Gala Concert in 2019 as a soloist in Beethoven’s Triple Concerto for violin, cello and piano.

Pieces by Walton, Delius and Vaughan Williams, as well as Elgar’s ‘In the South’ will also be played in a concert which has been described as a ‘feast of British music’.

For more information and to boom tickets for the show, you can visit https://www.villagaiety.com/whats-on/isle-of-man-symphony-orchestra-gala-concert/