Mozart’s glorious music filled the Sheldonian Theatre last night, thrilling a packed audience, and featuring two outstanding Oxford based musical talents: the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra and Schola Cantorum.

Through the combined vision of orchestral conductor and piano soloist Marios Papadopoulos, who both played and conducted from the keyboard Mozart’s sublime Piano Concerto No 22 in E flat Major, K 482, and the dedication of Schola Cantorum’s conductor Steven Grahl, a feast of musical talent was enjoyed, in an iconic setting.

According to Nick Breckenfield’s excellent programme notes, Mozart’s Piano Concerto was one of three written by Mozart in 1785, of which last night’s in E flat Major was written at speed. Its use of clarinets was a first, its inclusion of trumpets and timpani in addition to horns making no concession to the fact that Mozart finished the work on the day he first performed it.

Its opening Andante, sonorous with woodwind, prefaced Papadopoulos’ mellifluous, riffling piano. A much acclaimed concert pianist, Papadopoulos conducted the orchestra with energy, sensitivity and precision, drawing such pace in the Allegro, the Leader of the Orchestra’s chair danced with its occupant’s vigorous lead.

Then came the tour de force: Mozart’s Requiem. Almost as famous for its myths as its execution, the confidently bold and intensely moving Schola Cantorum chorus gave depth and frame to the four soloists. Soprano Alexandra Lowe’s diamond-cut clarity, tenor Thomas Elwin’s beautiful, rounded vibrato and James Atkinson’s baritone all delighted, but it was Rebecca Leggett’s mezzo- soprano which astonished. Her youth, grace and almost transcendent gaze was a powerful promise of great things to come.