THE Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra's Benevolent Fund are preparing to host their annual concert at the Lighthouse in Poole. The event takes place on Saturday, May 16 and features special guest and Poole-born cellist Natalie Clein with the BSO's Principal Conductor Kirill Karabits.

Natalie is set to perform Dvo?ák's Cello Concerto and this is one of the cellist's personal favourites. Natalie told the Bournemouth Daily Echo: "What I particularly love about Dvo?ák is that he was able to write melodies like nobody else could. It requires a lot of physical strength and there's an outpouring of emotion right at the end of the piece."

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra's Benevolent Fund was set up in 1958 and runs separately from the BSO's registered arts charity status. It looks to provide financial aid to musicians of the BSO who develop an injury or medical condition that limits their ability to perform, or in more serious cases threatens to end their playing careers entirely.

Fortunately, the majority of the BSO has never had to call on the Fund for help, however it provides a safety net for the musicians should they ever feel that they need support. The Fund gains income from money raised by the annual concert, in which musicians and staff donate their time to volunteer. In recent years, famous names from the orchestral world have given their services, including Julian Lloyd Webber, Yan Pascal Tortelier and Ron Goodwin.

: Tickets for the annual concert that takes place at 7.30pm at the Lighthouse in Poole on May 16, range from £10-£33 and can be booked by calling 0844 406 8666 or visiting www.bsolive.com.