THE COMPOSER IS DEAD Family Concert Set for Royal Festival Hall

NICHOLAS PARSONS is to narrate the London Premiere of Nathaniel Stookey's The Composer Is Dead with text by Lemony Snicket - a diabolically fun-filled Family Concert at Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall on Saturday 16 April at 1200hrs - part of the 11-day Festival of the Menuhin Competition London 2016.

Known for his smooth voice without any "hesitations" at 92, NICHOLAS is a national treasure, having presented Just A Minute for over 50 years, alongside a very full and varied career, which has been filled with music....but until now never classical music.

NICHOLAS says: "I might not be known for my classical music prowess, but at 92 I am delighted to be making my classical music debut at the Royal Festival Hall, narrating the fabulously fun piece The Composer Is Dead! I have always been a huge admirer of Yehudi Menuhin, so I'm very flattered to be part of something with his name attached - the Menuhin Competition. I used to watch Menuhin's brilliant talent, and will never forget seeing him play with Stéphane Grappelli - such extremes of violin playing, joined together by their shared love of the instrument. I'm hoping that my younger grandchildren, aged 10 and 12, will be coming along to see the concert, as I know they will have great fun finding out 'who-dunnit' in the orchestra!"

As Lemony Snicket (aka author Daniel Handler) writes: "'Composer' is a word which here means 'a person who sits in a room, muttering and humming and figuring out what notes the orchestra is going to play'. This is called composing. But last night the Composer was not muttering. He was not humming. He was not moving, or even breathing. This is called decomposing....!"

The entertaining murder mystery The Composer Is Dead will prove a sure-fire favourite for all the family introducing the audience to the orchestra. NICHOLAS PARSONS will be joined on stage by the Orpheus Sinfonia conducted by Thomas Carroll and the Junior 1st Prize Winner of the Menuhin Competition. The programme also includes Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture and Romeo and Juliet, for which some competitors will join the Orpheus Sinfonia.

There is also a full weekend for all the family to enjoy, celebrating all things violin during the Menuhin Competition Gala Weekend at Southbank Centre on both Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 April.

Website: www.menuhincompetition.org . The Composer Is Dead - Tickets £10.

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