Any Bermuda Festival appearance by the English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) is always special, but this year's return — the first since 2002 — is even more so for several reasons.

First, it is gracing us with its presence during Bermuda's 400th anniversary. Secondly, world-renowned Russian pianist and conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy makes his Bermuda Festival debut at the helm of this evening's concert; and thirdly, Bermudian professional tuba player Kenneth Amis has returned home as a featured soloist in the ECO's second concert tomorrow evening.

Formed in 1960, the ECO is one of the world's most distinguished chamber orchestras. It has performed in more countries than any other orchestra, recorded more than 1,200 works, and played with many of the world's most famous soloists. In addition, it is regularly invited to play for its patron, Prince Charles.

Today, the ECO continues to attract musicians of a stature few orchestras can match, among them Mr. Ashkenazy, John Williams and Sir Colin Davis.

The Orchestra is also proud of its outreach programme, 'Close Encounters', which takes music into communities and schools around the UK and elsewhere.

While here, three of its musicians are conducting a workshop with students of the Menuhin Foundation Youth Orchestra.

Russian-born Mr. Ashkenazy first came to prominence on the world stage in 1955 when he took second prize in the Chopin International Piano Competition in Poland.

Since then, he has built an extraordinary career, not only as one of the most renowned and revered virtuoso pianists of our times, but also as an artist whose creative life encompasses a vast range of activities. For the past 20 years conducting has formed the largest part of his activities.

Born and raised in Bermuda, the gifted Mr. Amis majored in composition at Boston University, before gaining his Master's degree in composition at the New England Conservatory. He first appeared in the Bermuda Festival in 1991 with Century Brass. Following tomorrow evening's performance, he will rejoin the Empire Brass, of which he is a member, for their City Hall concerts on February 6 and 7.

Tonight's programme will include works by Gordon Jacob, Antonio Vivaldi and Ernst von Dohnanyi. In addition to Mr. Amis, the other soloists are cellist Caroline Dale and So-Ock Kim, who plays a Stadivarius violin.

Tomorrow night's programme will be conducted by Roy Goodman, and feature works by Anton Shelepov, Franz Joseph Haydn and Jean Sibelius, among others. Featuring Caroline Dale on cello.

Mr. Goodman, a former chorister at the renowned Choir of King's Collge, Cambridge, is principal guest conductor of the English Philharmonic Orchestra. He is well known as the founder of the Brandenburg Consort,and also fulfills many other appointments in his busy career.

Both ECO concerts are at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts, and curtain time is 8 p.m. For tickets/further information see the special Bermuda Festival calendar in today's edition, or visit website www.bermudafestival.org