BOOKING is now open for the 2004/2005 International Concert Series at The Anvil.

The 10th anniversary season begins on Friday, September 24 with a meeting of musical giants when the Philharmonia Orchestra is conducted by Christoph von Dohnanyi and joined by pianist Alfred Brendel, who brings a lifetime's experience to his performance, yet is still discovering new aspects of the music.

Other highlights of the season include the Philharmonia Orchestra again on Friday, October 22, when they play Berlioz's not-often-performed Damnation of Faust, one of the 19th century's greatest masterpieces.

Under the direction of great conductor Charles Dutoit, this is sure to be an outstanding evening.

Sir Charles Mackerras conducts two concerts in the series - the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment on October 10, and the Philharmonia Orchestra on April 3, 2005.

The OAE's programme will include Mozart, Beethoven and Vorisek, a Czech composer of Beethoven's generation whose huge promise was sadly cut short by his early death at the age of 34.

Making its debut at The Anvil is the Orchestra of the City of Granada on April 28, 2005 - one of Spain's finest.

Conducted by Josep Pons, with Marco Socias on guitar, the programme includes Stravinsky, Rodrigo, Ravel and Falla.

Next year, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra plays two of the most popular pieces of English music - Elgar's Cello Concerto and Holst's Suite: The Planets - on May 11.

Elgar's concerto is a work of overpowering emotion and intimacy, while Holst's glittering sequence of movements illustrating the "characters" of the planets is largely bold and extrovert, yet ends in mysterious stillness.

Extras to the series next year include the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra's Viennese Evening on January 15, a rare outing together of Evelyn Glennie and Julian Lloyd Webber with the Northern Sinfonia on January 16, Freddy Kempf on February 3, and The Lindsays on March 22, who will be saying farewell to the concert platform later this year when they retire.

Anvil chief executive Christine Bradwell said: "In the 10 years it has been open, The Anvil has revolutionised the musical life of the South of England.

"The International Concert Series has been at the heart of this revolution, enabling audiences to hear music-making of the highest quality in acoustics that are among the best in the country".

Tickets for The Anvil's International Concert Series 2004-2005 start at £13.50. Children's tickets are half-price and there are also subscribers' packages offering substantial discounts.

Call the box office on 01256 844244, log on to www.theanvil.org.uk or use the ticket fax on 01256 366900.