The Quattro Stagioni Extravaganza

Programme 

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) 

Sinfonia Al Santo Sepolcro in B minor

Adagio molto 

Allegro ma poco 

Antonio Vivaldi

Concerto in  D minor for 2 Violins and Cello,  RV 565

Allegro

Adagio e spiccato

Allegro

Largo e spiccato

Allegro

Soloists:

Carmine Lauri, Violin

Anna Kosińska, Violin

Maximilian Hornung, Cello

The Four Seasons  

Violin Concerto in E major, Op.8/1, RV269 “Spring”

Allegro 

Largo a pianissimo sempre 

Allegro 

Violin Concerto in G minor, Op.8/2, RV315 “Summer”

Allegro non molto - Allegro 

Adagio a piano - Presto e forte 

Presto 

Violin Concerto in F major, Op.8/3, RV293 “Autumn”

Allegro 

Adagio molto 

Allegro 

Violin Concerto in F minor, Op.8/4, RV297 “Winter” 

Allegro non molto - Allegro 

Largo 

Allegro 

Soloists:

Carmine Lauri, Violin

Charlie Siem, Violin

Performers 

De Valette Chamber Orchestra 

Music Director Carmine Lauri 

Harpsichord Francesca Lauri 

Soloists 

Carmine Lauri, Violin 

Charlie Siem, Violin 

Anna Kosińska, Violin

Maximilian Hornung, Cello

Programme Notes  

In the Sinfonia Al Santo Sepolcro, Vivaldi distills devotion into the smallest of forms. Just two movements long, this music carries the weight of sacred

reflection. The slow Adagio conveys solemnity and devotion, while the fugal Allegro bursts forth with restless energy, like human voices rising in urgent

prayer. Brief though it is, the work glows with intensity and reverence.

It is followed by the Concerto for two Violins and Cello in D minor, RV 565, whose intricate dialogue and contrapuntal textures reveal the influence of Corelli while highlighting Vivaldi’s gift for dramatic contrast. 

Few works in music capture nature so vividly as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Written in the 1720s and accompanied by poetic sonnets, the four concertos paint the year’s turning with remarkable clarity. We hear the joy of birds returning in Spring, the heavy air and violent storms of Summer, the rustic harvest dances and hunts of Autumn, and in Winter, the shivering chill of icy winds and the quiet warmth of firelight. Vivaldi’s violin sings, storms, and dances - an instrument transformed into the voice of the natural world. 

More than three centuries later, these concertos remain fresh, immediate, and filled with life, inviting us to listen to the seasons as if for the first time.

Biographies 

Carmine Lauri, Violin (DVCO Music Director)

As a long-time member of the London Symphony Orchestra, Carmine led the orchestra for the past 25 years  under distinguished conductors such as Lorin Maazel, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir John  Eliott Gardiner, Sir Antonio Pappano and Gianandrea Noseda, just to name a few,  and had the privilege to have led the orchestra in concert for both Sir Colin Davis  and Bernard Haitink for their last appearance with the orchestra before their sad  demise. He also premiered 2 violin concertos accompanied by the LSO both at the  Barbican and the Royal Albert Hall and has earned worldwide recognition also  having led the orchestra in countless soundtracks for movies including Harry Potter, Star Wars and the latest movie Maestro. He was the soloist in John Williams’s  Schindler’s List in a concert with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by  the composer himself in a special unique performance at the Royal Albert Hall in  London. 

Lauri has performed extensively worldwide including performances in the presence  of various Heads of State. He has guest lead orchestras including the Academy of St  Martin in the Fields, the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the  London Philharmonic, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the Bournemouth Symphony,  Manchester Camerata and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra under  distinguished conductors such as Lorin Maazel, Bernard Haitink, Sir Colin Davis,  Riccardo Chailly, Yuri Temirkanov and Valery Gergiev. 

Carmine is one of the unique musical ambassadors of his native country Malta,  which, as a result of making a name for his country as a world class violinist and  soloist, bestowed upon him the Honour of Member of the Order of Merit (M.O.M).  He was elected as both an Associate and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in  London, for his achievements in his career.

Charlie Siem, Violin 

Born in London to a Norwegian father and British mother, Siem began to play the  violin at the age of three after hearing a broadcast of Yehudi Menuhin playing  Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. He received a broad and thorough education at Eton College, before completing the intellectually demanding undergraduate degree programme in Music at the University of Cambridge. From 1998 to 2004 he studied the violin with Itzhak Rashkovsky in London at the Royal College of Music, and from 2004 he has been mentored by Shlomo Mintz. 

Siem has appeared with many of the world’s finest orchestras and chamber  ensembles, including the Bergen Philharmonic, Camerata Salzburg, Czech National  Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, London Symphony, Moscow Philharmonic, Oslo  Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He  has worked with top conductors such as Charles Dutoit, Edward Gardner, Zubin  Mehta, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Sir Roger Norrington, Libor Pešek and Yuri Simonov.  International festival appearances to date include Spoleto, St. Moritz, Gstaad,  Bergen, Tine@Munch, Festival Internacional de Santa Lucía, and the Windsor  Festival. Siem’s regular sonata partner is renowned pianist Itamar Golan. 

Highlights of the previous seasons included concerto debuts in Mexico, Munich, and Milan; recitals in Norway with Itamar Golan; a debut with the Royal  Philharmonic Orchestra and Maestro Charles Dutoit; and an eight-concert debut recital tour of Australia, culminating with a performance at the Sydney Opera House. Charlie Siem has a varied discography and has made a number of recordings, including with the London Symphony Orchestra (Warner Classics, 2011)  and Münchner Rundfunkorchester (Sony Classical, 2014).

Anna Kosińska, Violin (DVCO Artistic Director)

Since her solo debut in New York’s renowned Carnegie Hall, Anna Kosińska has performed  regularly in the world’s most prestigious venues, including Berlin Philharmonic,  Vienna Musikverein, Tokyo Opera, Tonhalle Zürich, Barbican Centre London,  Suntory Hall Tokyo, Southbank Centre London, Soul Arts Centre, The Charles  Bronfman Auditorium Tel Aviv, Cadogan Hall London, The Great Hall Beijing, Lincoln  Centre New York, Warsaw Philharmonic and Rudolfinum Prague. She is a major prize winner of many international violin competitions, including The International  Violin Competition Carnegie Hall, New York, The International Violin Competition  in Lugano, Switzerland. She was also awarded multiple scholarships in recognition  of her achievements in the field of classical music, including Scholarship of the  President of the Republic of Poland, Scholarship at the Music Institute and Society in Warsaw, Ministry of Culture and National Heritage Poland, Music and Art  Governmental award of the Bundesrepublik Deutschland. She has performed with  orchestras across the globe, sharing music with audiences in Japan, China, South  Korea, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and USA. Along the way, she has appeared in prestigious concert halls and international festivals, earning recognition for the depth and artistry of her playing. These experiences reflect her passion for connecting with audiences worldwide and her growing reputation as a  violinist of international distinction. Anna Kosińska recorded for Naxos, Sony  Classical, Decca, ARD, ZDF, Medici and Polish Television TVP. 

Anna Kosińska is Co-Leader of the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra and member of  The Berlin Symphony Orchestra. 

Maximilian Hornung, Cello 

Maximilian Hornung, born in Augsburg in 1986, is internationally recognized as a remarkable cellist known for his extraordinary depth of tone, broad colour palette, and natural sophistication. He began studying cello at eight under Eldar Issakadze, Thomas Grossenbacher, and David Geringas. At 23, he became the first principal cellist of the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, a position he held until 2013 before focusing on his solo and chamber music career.

Hornung’s repertoire includes core classical works and lesser-known masterpieces. He is active as a soloist, chamber musician, and conductor, performing with leading orchestras such as the Berliner Philharmoniker, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, London Philharmonic, and Orchestre National de France. He collaborates with renowned conductors including Daniel Harding, Yannick Nézét-Séguin, and Esa-Pekka Salonen, and chamber partners like Anne-Sophie Mutter, Daniil Trifonov, and Joshua Bell.

His extensive discography has earned him prestigious accolades, including the ECHO Klassik Prize for his debut album and his recording of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto with the Bamberger Symphoniker. Other notable recordings feature works by Richard Strauss, Haydn, Schubert, and Shostakovich. Hornung has also released albums on Sony Classical, Deutsche Grammophon, and Myrios Classics.

In the 2025/26 season, Hornung debuts with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and others, while serving as Artist-in-Residence at the Staatstheater Nürnberg. Since 2022, he has been Artistic Director of the Traunsteiner Sommerkonzerte. His career reflects exceptional musicality and a profound connection with audiences worldwide. Hornung has been supported and sponsored by the Borletti-Buitoni Trust in London and his mentor Anne-Sophie Mutter.

De Valette Chamber Orchestra

The De Valette Chamber Orchestra stands as a refined embodiment of Malta’s cultural identity on the international classical music stage. It is guided by the visionary leadership of its own Music Director and Concertmaster, worldwide renowned Carmine Lauri, acclaimed Concertmaster and Principal Emeritus of the London Symphony Orchestra. Lauri’s leadership amplifies the orchestra’s ambition to foster meaningful artistic partnerships with world-class performers.

The De Valette Chamber Orchestra brings together musicians from some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras―including the London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, The Orchestre National de Lyon, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Kremerata Baltica or the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra Amsterdam.

Further elevating the orchestra’s artistic profile is the appointment of German cellist Maximilian Hornung as Artist-in-Residence. Maximilian Hornung is recognized as one of the preeminent cellists of his generation.

DVCO united by a shared dedication to artistic excellence. DVCO musicians from diverse countries come together on one stage to showcase the Maltese rich heritage, placing it firmly as a distinguished Ambassador of Culture on the international platform.