A top musician is coming to Norwich to mark the city's links with Novi Sad at a concert which will also honour a man who did no much to strengthen the relationship between the two communities.

It will be a glorious opportunity to remember an old friend, celebrate our links with another community – and listen to some beautiful music played by an international star.

Performing at the Norwich Playhouse on Saturday, January 21 will be top pianist Rita Kinka, from our twin Novi Sad.

It will be a concert which will help maintain and strengthen the strong links between Norwich and Novi Sad in Serbia.

And it gives us an opportunity to listen to a rare talent.

A pianist who is loved and highly regarded around the world.

Rita is the star attraction of the Paul Cross Memorial Concert, held each year in memory of the much-loved former chairman of the association to support a school for children and young people with special needs in Novi Sad.

Paul, who died in 1999, a former education officer with Norfolk County Council, was responsible for the annual exchange between students from the two communities.

Twinning visits to Novi Sad each year include a warm welcome at the school, showing how much money raised in Norwich is appreciated and how it is used in valuable projects to improve the lives of these youngsters. There is a special bond of friendship between The Milan Petrovic School and the people of Norwich – one that is growing year by year.

Since we began supporting this school it has grown from a very basic facility into the centre of excellence in Serbia that it is today. Rita is just one of the many people in Novi Sad and across the country who appreciate the help and support from Norwich and she is looking forward to making a return visit to perform a classical piano recital.

Having graduated at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad she went on to study in Belgrade, New York and in Brussels in 1987 she won the international Queen Elisabeth Competition as the most promising young artist.

Since 1975 Rita has give more than 700 recitals and performed all over the world.

She has also made many recordings for radio and television and also works as a professor of piano in Novi Sad.

In Norwich she will be playing a selection of works by Lizst, Mokranjac and Mussorgsky.

Tickets for the concert on January 21 at 7.30pm cost �15 (students �5) and are available from the Playhouse on Norwich (01603) 598598. Click on www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk