ON SUNDAY, the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle played host to two of the most exciting and uplifting performances in the fields of classical and choral music to be heard in Teesdale for a very long time.

The programme was the first of new series of concerts to be performed at the Bowes this year.

Terry Willits, chairman of the steering group for music supported by the museum Friends, explained in his introduction to a packed audience that the objective was to enable the Bowes to become a major venue for high quality presentations responding to a wide range of musical interests, such as choral music, classical ensembles and solo instrumentalists, opera and jazz.

The highlight was a performance by Josep Henriquez who is among today's finest exponents of the Spanish classical guitar, and we were privileged to see and hear him play in the second half of the concert. Born in Barcelona, he has performed and taught in many countries worldwide and is unique in playing all his concerts on an eight-string guitar.

The deep, sonorous quality of the additional bass strings came to the fore in a piece called Beijing, which Henriquez composed while teaching at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. There he created the first classical guitar department in China, and it was easy to detect a strong Chinese influence in this work.

He played a number of works well known to those familiar with the classical guitar repertoire, including Asturias (soleares) by Isaac Albeniz, arguably one of the most technically difficult pieces to play on the guitar. In the finale, Paul Croft joined Henriquez in Ferdinando Carulli's Duo in G which delighted the audience. Reminiscent of an early Beethoven piano sonata, this music is warm and lyrical, with a gentleness that accentuated the evident harmony and sensitivity between the two players.

Mr Croft is a local man and we have him to thank for inviting Henriquez to Barnard Castle to give a skilful performance that held the audience spellbound.

The concert began with a memorable performance from Cadenza, a mixed voice choir based in Edinburgh, who sang a well-balanced selection of songs, madrigals and Scottish airs, ranging from Gibbons to Cole Porter, all interestingly arranged and beautifully sung. Delicate interplay between the piano and forte sections of each song had the kind of magical quality and finish usually experienced only with professional choirs.

Though amateur in status, Cadenza is without any doubt professional in talent and achievement, endorsed by its winning the Scottish Choir of the Year award in 1998. One can only hope for a return visit so those who missed them the first time round will have a chance to experience the pleasure and sheer joy of listening to them.

Susan Forest, a member of the choir, is also a talented clarinet player. Accompanied by Stephen Doughty, she played the 2nd movement from the Concerto No 1 in F by Max Weber, bringing out well the liquid tones of this instrument and expertly managing the challenging arpeggios towards the end of the movement.

A further five concerts are arranged for this year; details and tickets, 01833 690606. M S.