A new orchestra has been formed in Bermuda and plans to present its first concert next month.

The Daylesford Sinfonia is made up of 25 instrumentalists, all professional-level players, or music teachers. As the name suggests, the orchestra will operate under the umbrella of the Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society. As music chairman Steve Gallant says, "To coin a well-used phrase, the Society is once again putting the `M' back into the BMDS''.

The first concert, an all-Mozart affair, will take place at City Hall on May 10 and will feature guest soloist Susan Soehner (pianist and teacher at the Bermuda Conservatory of Music) in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23. "This could well be Susan's farewell performance as, unfortunately, she is returning home to the US in the summer,'' says Mr. Gallant.

Also on the bill is the overture from `The Marriage of Figaro' and the popular `Haffner' Symphony. All the music has been loaned by the Philharmonic Society.

Noting that the orchestra started out as an independent group, Mr. Gallant says it soon became apparent that financial and administrative facilities could be more easily handled through the Society, "so the logical step was to become the BMDS orchestra. It is very exciting as we have the best players that Bermuda has to offer.'' The Sinfonia started from humble beginnings, says Mr. Gallant. "Liz Pitman, who is a cellist and teacher at Warwick Academy, gathered some of her friends together to play at a Christmas Eve church service, and it was judged a great success! Then Tim Rhodes, trumpeter and teacher at the Bermuda Academy of Music, reassembled the same group of musicians. Their primary interest is performing a more varied and challenging repertoire -- with minimal rehearsal time. Over half are members of the Philharmonic Orchestra, while some cannot commit to that weekly schedule, so don't normally participate in those concerts.'' Kate Ross (violinist and music teacher at the Bermuda High School for Girls) is conducting the rehearsals and helping to establish the performance nuances and tempi. "After that,'' says Mr. Gallant, "they're basically on their own and for this first concert, will perform without a conductor.'' Orchestra leader is Joan Stewart (violin teacher at the Bermuda Conservatory), and that position will rotate among other players for future concerts.

Despite Bermuda's advance in musical standards, there are still a few specialist instrumentalists who will have to be imported for the occasion.

Thus, three guests will augment the Sinfonia -- T.D. Ellis and Tom Novak on bassoon will be joined by Linda Blacken on the French horn.

The Daylesford Sinfonia Premiere Performance, produced by Steven Gallant, takes place at City Hall Theatre on Sunday, May 10 at 8 p.m. Tickets ($20, $10 for children) are available from the BMDS Box Office at Daylesford Theatre on Dundonald Street from May 4 to May 8, from 5.30 to 7.30 p.m.