The second part of the 98/99 season began with a visit to the Lucerne Easter festival by the Academy of Ancient Music, together with the Choir of New College Oxford, all under the baton of Paul Goodwin. Together they gave a sold-out performance, including the Mozart Requiem, in the Jesuitkirche. We will also be taking the Orchestra to Switzerland again this October, when the programme will include Tavener’s Eternity Sunrise, commissioned by the Orchestra for their 25th birthday and recently performed at the BBC Proms. The London Mozart Players have been regular touring partners and this summer their 50th birthday celebrations culminated with concerts in the Vienna and Lucerne festivals under Music Director Matthias Bamert. Following straight on from a BBC Prom, all three concerts were sold out weeks in advance and included soloist James Galway (their recently appointed Principal Guest Conductor). The concert in Lucerne marked a triumphant return by Bamert to the festival he directed for many years. Switzerland was also the destination for Sir John Eliot Gardiner’s Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra who appeared at the Montreux Festival under the auspices of Intermusica in an all-Schumann programme. Intermusica’s innovative streak brought the idea of sending the three BBC regional orchestras - BBC Philharmonic, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and BBC Scottish Symphony - over to the Amsterdam Concertgebouw directly following appearances at the BBC Proms. This mini-festival took place as part of the Concertgebouw’s summer series, with a performance by each orchestra under their respective Music Director. Soloists included Leonidas Kavakos and Louis Lortie. Finally, we brought two great occasions to the Proms in the shape of two outstanding chamber orchestras – the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra making a sensational return visit with Andreas Scholl and his sister Elisabeth; and the debut of Gidon Kremer’s chamber orchestra KREMERata Baltica. Both played to capacity audiences and rapturous reception.