Late yesterday afternoon I had the great pleasure of attending yet another brilliant orchestral concert held at our Music Conservatorium here in Armidale. . The performers were the Errol Russell Sinfonia of New England, but this little group of c. 21 players is very special. To start with they all play string instruments, except for the pianist / harpsichordist. Moreover, their average age couldn't be much over about 21!! In effect they're all students. At least two-thirds were women.
The conductor, Gwyn Roberts, was however at least 3 times that average age and a retired University of Queensland musicologist.
Here he is:
Some youth orchestras are a little scratchy, but yesterday's performance was superb. The works performed were top-notched, often dynamic and complex, yet the orchestra was perfect in timing, tempo, and impact. The program contained 5 works played without intermission:
Mozart's Divertimento in B Flat Major K 137, written when he was just 16 years old.
Marcello's Oboe Concerto in D Minor. This composer lived from 1673 to 1747, and was a contemporary of Vivaldi.
Hindemith's Trauermusik. This work, written in one day on 21 January 1936, was an elegy to King George V who had died the day before! Hindemith, then just in his early 40s, was visiting the UK.
Vaughan Williams' Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus based on a 16th century tune, dating from 1939.
Palmer's The Ruritanian Dances.
Not heard of George Palmer? Nor had I until yesterday. He's about my age, born in 1946. He's a retired Australian High Court Judge and has become a frantic composer in his retirement - opera, choral works, chamber music and symphonies. The Ruritanian Dances were brilliant - dynamic, nuanced, tuneful, and so on. Try to listen to them! By the way, Ruritania is an imaginary kingdom in central Europe.
Two of the works played had soloists. The oboist in the second work, James McKay, is University of New England student about 23 years old. He was excellent. And Sophia Mackson, who played solo violin in the Dives and Lazarus, is just 18 years old. If I'm correct, here she is standing close to the conductor.
And, standing on the left is James McKay.
Aren't we a lucky community?
AS
The conductor, Gwyn Roberts, was however at least 3 times that average age and a retired University of Queensland musicologist.
Here he is:
Some youth orchestras are a little scratchy, but yesterday's performance was superb. The works performed were top-notched, often dynamic and complex, yet the orchestra was perfect in timing, tempo, and impact. The program contained 5 works played without intermission:
Mozart's Divertimento in B Flat Major K 137, written when he was just 16 years old.
Marcello's Oboe Concerto in D Minor. This composer lived from 1673 to 1747, and was a contemporary of Vivaldi.
Hindemith's Trauermusik. This work, written in one day on 21 January 1936, was an elegy to King George V who had died the day before! Hindemith, then just in his early 40s, was visiting the UK.
Vaughan Williams' Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus based on a 16th century tune, dating from 1939.
Palmer's The Ruritanian Dances.
Not heard of George Palmer? Nor had I until yesterday. He's about my age, born in 1946. He's a retired Australian High Court Judge and has become a frantic composer in his retirement - opera, choral works, chamber music and symphonies. The Ruritanian Dances were brilliant - dynamic, nuanced, tuneful, and so on. Try to listen to them! By the way, Ruritania is an imaginary kingdom in central Europe.
Two of the works played had soloists. The oboist in the second work, James McKay, is University of New England student about 23 years old. He was excellent. And Sophia Mackson, who played solo violin in the Dives and Lazarus, is just 18 years old. If I'm correct, here she is standing close to the conductor.
And, standing on the left is James McKay.
AS
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