IT was thumbs-up for the Brighton Youth Orchestra's two-in-one concert from a fair-sized and enthusiastic audience in the music-friendly acoustic of St Mary's Church, Shoreham, on the glorious evening of Saturday, June 27.
We were entertained by both the string ensemble of the Brighton Youth Orchestra, under Andrew Sherwood, a leading light of the local youth and music scene, and the wind ensemble, under Jennifer Caws.
Minus programmes (owing to a mishap), the pre
sentation by Andrew Sherwood was along Talkestra lines, giving the evening a laidback and informal flavour.
But the young players, just released from the tyranny of A-levels, including solo violinists Kate Payne and Stephanie Gordon, and solo marimba player Taichi Imanishi san, played from the first with professional skill and ensemble, all through a fascinatingly diverse – and testing – programme, made not less difficult when Andrew Sherwood went round removing their music at one point, a playful trick which left the players playing with unabated confidence and precision, if with wry smiles.
While the strings offered Sibelius's lovely Romance in C, following the more familiar Christmas Concerto by Corelli, and local lad Frank Bridge's Idyll No 3, the wind ensemble threw in some brightly performed dances from Handel's Water Music, Travel Notes by Richard Rodney Bennet – switching us from air balloon to bathchair – a fugal flourish by Antonin Reicha, a setting of some famous melodies by George Gershwin and a jolly medley from The Pirates of Penzance.
Perhaps the climax of the evening's programme, following a rousing set of five Greek dances by the great modern Greek composer Skallotas, played with verve and musicality by the strings, was a performance of a new commission by Simon Limbrick called Machima Lumina, for vibraphone and strings.
It was fascinating to watch Imanishi san close-up as he ran through the range of skills relating to his instrument, in this very vigorous and testing piece.
Thanks and congratulations to the St Mary's, as ever, wonderful front-of-house team for their immaculate organisation of refreshments.
Martin WardNOTE: All letters must include a name and address which can be withheld by request.
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