HIS playing has been called “breathtaking,” his interpretation of some of the big classic violin works as “soul searing.”

Little wonder then that there is a real buzz about the arrival in Huddersfield next week of Ukrainian soloist Valerij Sokolov.

The young violinist will play at Huddersfield Town Hall on Thursday just a day after his 24th birthday.

“He’s the lad who played the Sibelius (violin concerto) three years ago and completely wowed the critics,” said Dougie Scarfe, concerts director for Opera North.

“I’ve heard him play the Beethoven and it’s sensational. He makes a piece fresh because he’s coming up with new ideas.

“He’s very engaging. He knocked the corner off his Stradivarius and said ‘I’m in so much trouble.’ He had to fly to Frankfurt to get the thing glued together.”

This dazzling young violinist has trained at the Yehudi Menuhin School and at Royal College of Music in London.

He will be the featured soloist in The Revolutionary and the Romantic, a perfect programme with which to launch the new Kirklees Orchestral concert season.

The Orchestra of Opera North will play a programme of music by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky in what promises to be quite a season.

The orchestra has recently been named as Classic FM’s Orchestra in Yorkshire, a partnership which should help to promote some of the season’s concerts on air.

Highly acclaimed conductor and former violinist Alexander Polianichko, will set the tone at next week’s concert leading the performance of timeless classics such as Beethoven’s Egmont: Overture and Violin Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.4 in F minor.Š

Polianichko has conducted orchestras all over the world, including the Belorussian State Chamber Orchestra and Kirov Opera and Ballet.

Dougie Scarfe warned: “He is a fantastically interesting guy. If you have any hair left, he will take it off in this performance.

“It will be a very exciting start to the season.”

Gripping stuff according to no less an authority than Dr Gordon Stewart who t marks 20 years as Kirklees Borough organist this month.

At the launch of the new season, Gordon said the programme for the opening concert brought back memories for him.

“The very first symphony that I ever listened to was on a transistor radio when I was seven,’’ he said.

“I had been told to go to bed and I listened to it under the blankets. That symphony was the Tchaikovsky Symphony No 4 in F minor which will be heard next week.

“The first time that I heard Beethoven’s overture, Egmont, was in Sheffield when it was played by Yehudi Menuhin.”

He and Dougie will doubtless be hoping that next week will create similarly powerful memories for a whole new generation of music lovers.

The concert begins at 7.30pm on Thursday at Huddersfield Town Hall. Tickets are £7.50 to £22.50 (plus concessions) from Kirklees Booking Offices on 01484 223200 or book online at www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls

There will be a pre-concert talk in the Town Hall at 6.40pm for concert ticket holders.

Earlier this summer the orchestra announced a new partnership which sees it become Classic FM’s Orchestra in Yorkshire and next week’s concert is the first of its Classic FM recommends.