A RENOWNED Russian conductor will make her debut in Kidderminster next month when she leads an orchestra in their latest concert.

Wyre Forest Symphony Orchestra has announced that Margarita Mikhailova will be conducting at their forthcoming concert in Kidderminster Town Hall on Sunday, March 4.

WFSO concert manager Christopher Page said he was delighted with the coup, given the St Petersburg native’s music pedigree.

Margarita currently teaches at the prestigious Birmingham Conservatoire as assistant conductor in the Junior Department.

She has conducted major professional orchestras including BBC Concert Orchestra, Birmingham Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra, London Mozart Players, St Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic, Vaasa State Orchestra, Finland, Philharmonisches Kammerorchester, Berlin, and the Oslo Symphony Orchestra.

Margarita started her career at St Petersburg State Academy of Art and Music.

Her principal instrument there was piano and she graduated from St Petersburg with a Bachelor of Music Degree in piano solo performance and choral conducting.

She moved to Norway in 2002 and attended the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo from 2006 to 2008 gaining further qualifications in piano performance, choral conducting and vocal coaching.

In September 2014 she joined the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and in June 2017, Margarita gained a Master of Music degree in orchestral conducting. She was also granted the much-coveted Michael Beech Conducting Award for 2017.

Mr Page said: “She has brought us a different dynamism, a changed orchestral layout, and a dose of her inspirational Russian passion to our music.

“In addition to her piano skills Margarita plays cello and horn and is possessed of a beautiful singing voice which she displays at our weekly rehearsals to illustrate musical points.”

The programme for the Kidderminster concert is Dvorak's Slavonic Dances and Brahms magnificent Symphony No4.

Tickets priced from £5 to £10 are available from the Town Hall booking office or at the door on the night of the concert which starts at 7.30pm.