What better way to start the New Year, musically speaking, than with the memorable sound of Shostakovich?

That’s what is on offer when the Kirklees Concert Season continues on January 11 with a concert which it has billed Magnificent Firsts.

And you will quickly see why. For the BBC Philharmonic will be playing not just Shostakovich’s powerful First Cello Concerto but also Brahms’ First Symphony which took him 15 years to complete.

For this extraordinary bill of music the Philharmonic will be joined by the young cellist Leonard Elschenbroich and the conductor Alexander Joel who has a well-established international reputation.

“This should be a terrific concert,” said Gordon Stewart, Kirklees Borough Organist who works with the management of the Orchestra of Opera North on running the season.

“The Shostakovich is fabulous and Leonard was Radio 3 New Generation Artist 2012. Apparently he’s just phenomenal.

“We are getting some of these young people at the beginning of their careers and they will remember this venue and this orchestra,” he said.

“As for the Brahms, I would have this piece in every season. It is why the symphony orchestra exists.”

Certainly the symphony is known for its use of lush strings, blazing brass and pounding timpani creating the most dramatic of effects.

Leonard Elschenbroich is 28 and was born in Frankfurt. When he was 10, he received a scholarship to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School in London.

He later studied with Frans Helmerson at the Cologne Music Academy.

Leonard received the Leonard Bernstein award at the opening concert of the 2009 Schleswig-Holstein Festival following his performance of the Brahms Double with Anne-Sophie Mutter under the direction of Christoph Eschenbach.

Since then, he has excited interest as one the most charismatic cellists of his generation.

Leonard was chosen as a BBC New Generation Artist in 2012, a prestigious award offering performances and recordings with all the BBC orchestras, recitals at Wigmore Hall, Sage Gateshead and the BBC Proms, with all performances broadcast on the BBC.

Alexander Joel is a conductor with a well-established international reputation.

After studying piano (and later also composition) at the Vienna Academy of Music he began conducting studies in 1991 at the Vienna Conservatory of Music where he graduated with Honours in 1996.

He was prize winner at the European Conducting Competition in Spoleto, Italy, that same year.

 After his studies he worked as an assistant to Julius Rudel, Muhai Tang (Royal Opera Stockholm) and Gustav Kuhn.

The 2012/2013 season included his successful debut with La Bohème at Covent Garden – resulting in an immediate re-invitation for two productions in the season 2014/2015 – as well as new productions of Madama Butterfly at the Staatsoper Hamburg and the Grand Theatre de Genève.

The concert begins at 7.30pm and there is a Talking Music event in the concert hall at 6.40pm.

Tickets are priced from £8 to £24 and concessions are available from Kirklees Booking Offices on 01484 223200, 01924 324501, 01484 222444 or book online at http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls.