Antonio Vivaldi The Four Seasons, interspersed with folk music improvisations

Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto joins forces with Aurora Orchestra for two of classical music’s greatest nature-inspired hits, with a sprinkling of Kuusisto’s signature experimental flair.

The natural world has proved a muse for many composers, but there’s arguably no more ecstatic end to a symphony than Sibelius’ painting of soaring swans. It will be impossible not to feel like you’ve swapped out the Queen Elizabeth Hall for a silent retreat in the Finnish countryside with this triumphant proclamation of nature in all its beauty.

From Finland to Italy, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is re-imagined for the 21st century, infused with Nordic folkloric sounds and improvisations led by Pekka Kuusisto and Aurora’s musicians. Folk dances from the Åre Swedish mountain range become the Apres-ski to Vivaldi’s ‘Winter’; a lazy Finnish summer evening unfurls in the form of a folk song before Vivaldi’s summer storm hits.

To open, Caroline Shaw’s Plan and Elevation, a driving yet reflective work inspired by nature and architectural drawings. A bird’s-eye “plan” shows the whole structure, while an “elevation” reveals its intricate details and ornaments – much as tonight’s improvisations illuminate music centuries old from a new angle.