Poul Ruders is one of the biggest names in contemporary Scandinavian music. His orchestral works in particular have a brilliance and intensity that have made a great impression on audiences around the world. Concerto in Pieces was played at the Last Night of the Proms in 1995 and is one of the most successful orchestral works of our time. It is based on a theme by Purcell and is a witty, explosively colourful successor to Britten"s Young Person"s Guide to the Orchestra. In the sunny Violin Concerto no. 1 the present day meets both Vivaldi and Schubert, while the percussion concerto Monodrama is a strong example of the primal Nordic power that fuels all of Ruders works.