There is little question of who will be music's man of the year in 2002. The centenary of Sir William Walton's birth is set to dominate Britain's concert halls in a year that is otherwise unusually sparse in significant musical anniversaries.

Although Walton had no strong links with Surrey, the county will be doing him honour with one of the earliest celebrations.

Three major concerts at Dorking in February, will provide a comprehensive digest of his achievements.

In the first, (on February 2) the composer's widow, Lady Susana Walton, will be a narrator along with broadcaster Richard Baker, in a performance of Faade by English Serenata. The programme will also include the music from the film Henry V.

The Philharmonia Orchestra will perform the Crown Imperial Overture, Cello Concerto and Symphony No. 1 on February 16, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will be joined by Ashtead Choral Society for Belshazzar's Feast on February 23. The Cello Concerto and Scapino Overture are also in the programme.

Nationwide events have been planned to commemorate one of Britain's great 20th century composers with festivals in London, Birmingham, Oxford and his home town of Oldham.

Seasons of the films for which he wrote classic scores, performances and documentaries, are on radio and television.

Locally, Kingston Philharmonia concerts feature his music for the film Hamlet in March and the Violin Concerto in July.

Thames Philharmonic Choir performs Te Deum and other music in a Kingston concert in July.

David Mellor presents and discusses his works for Putney Music in April, and Surrey Philharmonic Orchestra pays tribute in a Walton centenary concert at Dorking in May.

Walton's Coronation music will figure prominently in many musical celebrations of the Queen's Golden Jubilee, including a Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra concert at Guildford Cathedral in April.

The only other significant musical anniversaries of the year are linked by the same date.

The Italian renaissance composer Emilio de'Cavalieri, credited with composing the first known opera. Euridice, who died in 1602 the year in which his near-namesake Francesco Cavalli (who built on his foundations with five operas) was born.

On a lighter note, 2002 is the centenary of the birth of Billy Mayerl whose light classical music was enormously popular half a century ago.

Epsom based pianist Phillip Dyson, a Mayerl specialist, will pay affectionate tribute to him with a recital at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon on January 22.

December 28, 2001 15:35