MUSIC lovers in the area have a rare chance to hear one of the world's outstanding young violinists.

Amirjan Bisengaliev performs at the Downs School, Colwall, tom-orrow (Saturday) at 7.30pm for the Autumn in Malvern Festival.

Born in Kazakhstan in 1986, Amir is a profoundly gifted young musician who has been playing since the age of four. He made his first public appearance at the age of seven with the Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra.

He came to the UK aged 12 and a year later became the youngest ever winner of the instrumental category at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod.

Since 2001 he has been at the Purcell School and is a student of Professor Itshak Rashkovsky at the Royal College of Music.

Last year, he performed for Prince Charles at a royal gala concert in Paris and made his London debut in Wigmore Hall.

This year, he has made his debut at the Royal Festival Hall, London and at Symphony Hall and Sir Adrian Boult Hall, both in Birmingham.

He also made an appearance on Radio 4's Today programme, playing a 270-year-old violin made by the great Giuseppe Guarneri del Ges, which used to be played by Paganini.

At the Downs School, Amir will be using another Guarneri, which has been loaned by Florian Leonhard Fine Violins Ltd.

He will play Elgar's Sonata in E Minor, Five Pieces by Malcolm Arnold and William Walton's Sonata for Violin and Piano, being joined by John Lenahan.

Other highlights of the festival this weekend include a talk by Dr Jerrold Northrop Moore on Elgar - Child of Dreams tomorrow at Malvern Theatres at 11am.

Dr Moore has written numerous books on the composer including Elgar - A Creative Life. He will be signing books from 12.30pm at Beacon Books, Worcester Road.

Sunday brings Dylan Thomas Return Journey at Malvern Theatres at 2.15pm. The one-man show stars actor Bob Kingdom in character as the Welsh poet.

Tickets for all of the above events are available from Malvern Theatres box office on 01684 892277.