C HANCE meetings and strange connections have led to an exciting line-up of musicians and composers at a music group's latest concert.

Violin duo Retorica, Harriet Mackenzie and Philippa Mo, will play for Whitstable Music Society after one of the girls enjoyed an unexpected reunion with vice-chairman Gill Smyth at a wedding.

Gill explained: "I have a strange connection with Harriet.

"My husband Alan played violin in the London Symphony Orchestra and was musical adviser on the 1980s film Duets For One, starring Julie Andrews as a violinist.

"The director needed a seven-year-old girl to play violin and Alan found Harriet. Her scenes didn't make the final cut but a photograph of her and her violin did appear."

Last year Gill was a guest at a wedding in Cambridge and discovered that Harriet had been hired to play there.

Gill said: "I remembered her name so I asked if she would like to play for us in Whitstable."

In a strange coincidence, one of the pieces the duo will perform was composed by a John McCabe, who lives just a few miles from Whitstable. He is artistic director at Sittingbourne Music Society and wrote the 15-minute Spielend in 2003 for Philippa when she was in another duo.

Mr McCabe, 72, whose work has been performed at the BBC Proms, said: "It's quite a big piece. Spielend means 'playing'. It is a play on words.

"Not only will they be playing violins but they will be playing against each other."

He added: "Philippa and Harriet are excellent. They are really making a go of it."

The composer, also an accomplished pianist, says the piece is modern classical, starting off big, becoming quietly complex in the middle and concluding mysteriously.

Harriet and Philippa met at the Royal Academy of Music.

Retorica will also perform pieces by Bach, Handel and Halvorsen, Telemann, Prokofiev and Wieniawaski on Saturday.

Composer John McCabe will give a talk about Spielend from 6.30pm.

Retorica violin duo, Whitstable Music Society, Methodist Church, Argyle Road, from 7.30pm this Saturday. Tickets cost £12.50 (£6.25 students) from Gill Smyth on 01227 277227 or Gatefield Sounds, 70 High Street, Whitstable.

For more details visit www.whitstablemusicsociety.org.uk