Domenico Boyagian, Music Director Kirsten Docter, Viola Felix Medelssohn’s, Hebrides Overture, Op. 26 was inspired by one of Mendelssohn's trips to the British Isles, specifically an 1829 excursion to the Scottish island of Staffa, with its basalt sea cave known as Fingal’s Cave. It is not known whether Mendelssohn set foot on the island, the cave being best visible from the water, but the composer himself reported that he immediately jotted down the opening theme for his composition. Kirsten Docter is a member of the award-winning Cavani String Quartet. Ms. Docter has appeared in features on public radio programs such as Performance today and television programs on NBC, CBS, ABC and PBS. She has performed in concerts and festivals throughout North America. Ms. Docter will perform Britten’s, Lachrymae, Op. 48a which was composed while Britten was working on Billy Budd. Britten broke off from the opera to compose Lachrymae, his only mature piece for viola and piano. Lachrymae is a series of variations on the first phrase of Dowland’s song “If my complaints could passions move”. Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op.56 “Scottish” - The first idea for this Scottish Symphony came to Mendelssohn when he visited Holyrood, the obligatory tourist attraction where Mary, Queen of Scots supposedly fell in love with the poor Italian lutenist David Rizzio who was later murdered. This is where Medelssohn found the beginning of his Scotttish symphony.