They certainly had a point and on an afternoon of accolades, it is only right that the expertise of the BPO players under their excellent music director Barry Wordsworth, particularly principal soloists like Alun Derbyshire (oboe), Christine Messiter (flute) and precise tympanist Graham Reader, should be duly recognised.

Helping to make it a particularly memorable concert was young cellist Gemma Rosefield on her first appearance with the BPO. She took on Saint-Saens' passionate Cello Concerto No 1 with great gusto and if the audience needed any extra encouragement to take her to their hearts, there was no better incentive than that she was playing a 1704 instrument once owned by the Prince Regent.

The local connection was missed by the programme notes but Wordsworth gave advanced notice.

Rosefield's excellent rendition is sure to give her a special place in the affections of Dome aficionados and it was easy to see why she has been invited to give this year's Jacqueline du Pre Memorial concert at the Wigmore Hall in March.

Wordsworth has been a fan since he performed with her at Guildford in 2005 and Dome regulars will be hoping it does not take as long to persuade her to make a return visit to Brighton.

The cello piece followed Schubert's Unfinished Symphony (No 8 in B Minor) to make for a superb first half and if that was a hard act to follow, Wordsworth and BPO pulled it off magnificently with their performance of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No 4.

In keeping with the other two offerings, it provided a sharp contrast to the quiet spring-like weather in which Brighton was basking that day. There were quiet moments within the storm of all three works but essentially they are pieces that fluctuate between dark and light, with the darkness possibly having the edge.

That could be down to the somewhat stormy lives of all three composers but Tchaikovsky described his piece as a 'musical expression of the soul' and there was certainly plenty of soul in a thoroughly enjoyable concert.

The BPO's next offering will be under the baton of guest conductor Paul Daniel on Sunday February 10 when more musical heavyweights in Sibelius and Brahms are featured with their first symphonies. Again there are unlikely to be too many spare seats.