THE Heineken Violin, a Nicholas Vuillaume of 1860, is once again about to change hands, writes Michael Dervan. The instrument was purchased in 1985 after the Late Late Show highlighted the plight of a young violinist in trying to acquire a suitable violin. The player who benefited, Maighread McCrann, has gone on to become leader of the ORF Symphony Orchestra in Vienna. For the last five years the violin has been on loan to Declan Daly, and a competition, open to Irish players aged between 17 and 25, will shortly be held to decide the next beneficiary. The closing date for applications is July 10th, and information on the competition can be had from Murphy Brewery Ireland in Cork.

Meanwhile, the BBC has announced details of its free Ulster Hall concerts scheduled for the five Fridays in the month of August. "Come the Revolution" is the banner under which a largely Russian programme has been collected. Some of the biggest pieces are rarities in the concert hall the First Symphonies of Balakirev and Kalinnikov, Glazunov's Fourth, Rimsky Korsakov's Antar, and the symphonic poem, Hero and Leander by the Dublin born Victor Herbert, now mainly remembered as a composer of operettas. Room has also been found also for more popular fare, including Borodin's Second, Rimsky's Capriccio espagnol and Ravel's G major Piano Concerto.

The soloist in the Ravel is Philippe Cassard, who is teamed up with NSO principal guest conductor, Alexander Anissimov, for what will be the latters Ulster Orchestra debut. Canadian violinist Chantal Juillet makes her Irish de but in the Kurt Weill Concerto (which she's recently recorded for Decca), and in the same concert Jan Latham Koenig will be conducting Strauss's late masterpiece, the Metamorphosen for 23 solo strings. Full details from the BBC in Belfast on 0801232-338292.