Two unusual musical treats will be offered next week when internationally acclaimed cellist Raphael Wallfisch and one of the world's leading period instrument orchestra, Tafelmusik, both make their Bermuda Festival debuts.

There are limited numbers of tickets still available for both events.

In two consecutive concerts next week, Wallfish, with pianist John York will play the complete works for cello and piano by Beethoven. This dynamic duo has already recorded the complete cycle of Beethoven's sonatas and Variations for the EMI label. Each programme will be introduced by composer Buxton Orr, who will explain to audiences how Beethoven developed as a composer.

"Raphael Wallfisch has a world-class reputation,'' says Festival chairman Peter Lloyd, "as indeed does John York. These two concerts really follow one another, so people with a serious interest in Beethoven and/or cello music in general, should try to go to both concerts.'' Born into a family of musicians, Wallfisch was chosen by his teacher, the great Grego Piatigorsky, while still a student in California, to play chamber music with such legendary musicians as Jascha Heifetz in the informal concerts the famed teacher held at his home. At 24, he won the Gaspar Cassando International Cello Competition in Florence and now plays all over the world.

A dedicated teacher at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama, he has also carved out an impressive recording career, one of the peaks of which was his recording, with Sir Charles Mackerras of the Dvorak Cello Concerto. He is presently recording all 30 concertos by Vivaldi for the Naxos label -- one of the rare occasions on which they have been tackled by a single artist. John York won the International Debussy Prize in Paris at the age of only 24 and since then, has enjoyed a busy concert career with such orchestras as the London Philharmonic, London Mozart Players, the Allegri Quartet and as a regular chamber partner with Wallfisch and clarinettist James Campbell. Heis also a professor at the Guildhall and is Head of Piano at St. Paul's Girls' School in London.

Composer Buxton Orr, who was also a teacher at the Guildhall (where he formed the Guildhall New Music Ensemble), has received commissions from the BBC, Glasgow University, Radio Scotland, the City of London Festival and Merseyside Arts. As a writer of musical theatre he won the Seagrams Prize of the American National Music Theatre Network while he was composer-in-residence and for ten years, he was conductor of the London Jazz Composers' Orchestra.

Beethoven's Cello Music will be performed at City Hall Theatre on January 30 and 31.

Since its formation in 1979, the Toronto-based Tafelsmusik Baroque Orchestra has become one of the world's leading period instrument ensembles. Their appearance at the famous London Proms was hailed as "a revelation'' by The Independent, and they have also appeared to great acclaim across North America, at the major music festivals of Europe, and tours of Asia. The orchestra records extensively for Sony Classical, receiving many international awards in the process.

"I think we are extremely fortunate to have one of the outstanding groups in their field to come here,'' says Mr. Lloyd. "All of the instruments are of the kind that would have been used by composers such as Haydn, Mozart, Handel, Gluck or Boccherini, so it gives a wonderfully authentic sound.'' Tafelmusik, which has no conductor, but is led by musical director and violinist Jeanne Lamon from her chair, has received rave reviews from around the world, described by The Sunday Times as having "crystalline textures, light, bright instrumental colours, deftly articulated rhythmic vitality and an unstaled approach to phrasing which makes these familiar pieces sound newly minted.'' The Toronto Star wrote "...the true stars were Lamon and her fellow instrumentalists, whose rhythmically engaged performance of the Toccata might have made Elysium dance.'' Appearing with the orchestra will be soloists and members of the Chamber Choir which was formed in 1981 to complement the sound of Tafelmusik.

Tafelmusik will perform at St. John's Church on February 1, 3 and 4 and there will be three separate programmes of music by Purcell, Vivaldi, Bach, Telemann and Handel.

LEADING CELLIST FOR BERMUDA -- Raphael Wallfisch joins the ranks of world-class performers who have appeared in the Bermuda Festival when he gives two performances at City Hall next week.

THE SOUND OF BAROQUE -- Members of Canada's famed Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra will give three Bermuda Festival performances at St. John's Church next week.