THE new Lakeland Sinfonia Concert Society season gets off to an exhilarating start with one of the region's most successful musical exports in the solo spotlight.

Pianist, Sam Haywood, takes centre stage in Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto in the first concert of the new series, which opens at Kendal Leisure Centre's Westmorland Hall on Saturday, September 26 (7.30pm).

Sam, originally from St Bees, has ascended to become one of the most sought after concert pianists on the international circuit.

The opening programme - conducted by Lakeland favourite Wyn Davies - also includes Beethoven's Coriolan Overture, the Three-cornered Hat Suite by Manuel de Falla, and a more unusual symphony by the Spanish composer Arriago.

October brings the BBC Philharmonic Ensemble to the Westmorland Hall (October 17), directed by Zoe Beyers who led the orchestra in this year’s BBC Proms. The concert is a rare opportunity to hear Vaughan Williams’ Oboe Concerto played by BBC Young Generation star Alexei Ogrintchouk, and Zoe will be the soloist in a Schubert Rondo for Violin and Strings.

Other orchestral delights in store for the 2015-16 season include the Royal Northern Sinfonia - now rated as the UK’s best and most versatile chamber orchestra - making three visits to the Sinfonia series, the first being A Baroque Extravaganza on November 14, directed by princely Bradley Creswick, which showcases the enormous talents of individual string players in concertos by Bach and Vivaldi. Audiences will be treated to thrilling performances of the double violin and third Brandenberg concertos by Bach, but will also have the opportunity to arouse their curiosity with five of the more unusual L’Estro Armonico collection by Vivaldi.

December 12's concert is definitely one for the diary when world renowned violinist Jennifer Pike and the Manchester Camerata play the Westmorland Hall. Jennifer was the youngest-ever winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year at the age of 12. She was also the youngest prizewinner of the coveted Yehudi Menuhin International Competition. Since, her dazzling interpretative flair and exquisite playing has taken the musical world by storm.

Apparently, her recent debut at New York’s famous Carnegie Hall performing Lark Ascending brought the audience to its feet; Jennifer returns to the Vaughan Williams classic for her must-see Kendal performance.

The Halle orchestra open the 2016 half of the LSCS season on January 9 with its popular New Year A Viennese Gala with the best of Johann Strauss, Lehar and Brahms, featuring the globe-trotting Swedish soprano Mali Christensson.

Alessandro Taverna, a pianist well-known to Kendal audiences, plays Mozart’s last Piano Concerto with the Lakeland Sinfonia on February 6, and the Royal Northern Sinfonia returns with its charismatic conductor Thomas Zehetmair on March 19. The season concludes with another performance by the Royal Northern on April 23.

Pre-concert talks are at 6.30pm.

For tickets and further information visit www.lakeland sinfonia.org.uk or telephone 0333-666-3366.