About a week ago I attended a workshop
for orchestral instrumentalists organised by the Pulham Village Orchestra (PVO). These are biennial events and I
attended my first in 1988, when my own children were all 10 or less.
This year the study pieces included Vaughan Williams,
Symphony No.8; extracts from Hansel and Gretel, Humperdinck (including a couple
of songs) and overture to Semiramide by Rossini. I expected the Vaughan
Williams to be very challenging and indeed it was. After three fairly full days
of rehearsal work, both as a whole orchestra and with tutors for individual
sections we gave a performance. This time three generations of Allens and
Walshes attended the concert.
Bryony, Meredith and Simon had their work cut out keeping
Molly (8) and Nuala (4) from causing disruption, but they managed it. At least
I didn’t notice anything untoward from the depths of the viola section. However,
the order of the concert was geared for the benefit of the amateur players and
our powers of concentration, rather than the audience.
The Vaughan Williams Symphony came first. It was something
of a struggle for both audience and players. However the 3rd slow
movement for strings only came over well. It certainly attracted Nuala’s
attention. That’s quite a feat for a four year old.
Everybody enjoyed the singing in the Humperdinck but the
purely orchestral parts did not come over as well.
Molly’s attention was really engaged by a recently composed
duet for percussion. Unfortunately, neither the details of the performers nor
the composer were included in the programme. I’ll try and locate these details
over the next couple of weeks.
The Rossini overture was also attractive for both the
children. Even so, I gather that their attention was beginning to waiver. From
their viewpoint it would have been better received at the start of the concert
(as implied by its title).
Molly and Nuala were by no means the only youngsters at the
concert. It is important that they hear presentations of all sorts of
standards. They will be much better able to appreciate what’s really good later
on.
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