Orchestra & Ensemble Event Reviews

After an atmospheric opening signalled by delicate finger cymbals, Glennie — as a modern-day shaman — invokes the spirits with rattles, shakers and cymbals during the first movement Ritual that steadily grows in intensity. The powerhouse performer also coaxed with the contemplative Fantasia — Nostalgia that ultimately leads to Interlude: Conjuring the Spirits. Fire Dance is an explosive tour de … Read More

The Rest Is Noise festival, which has surveyed 20th century music at London’s Southbank Centre throughout the calendar year, has succeeded in fits and starts. This London Philharmonic Orchestra concert under Vladimir Jurowski, however, has to count as one of its more unconditional achievements. It is hard to imagine such a well-prepared concert, devoted entirely to orchestral music from the … Read More

Dame Evelyn Glennie listens to music with her whole body, just not with her ears. Though technically deaf, the renowned percussionist developed a technique of playing with the vibrations in her instruments and environment, and after graduating from the Royal Academy of Music in London in 1985, she pioneered a career as the first full-time solo percussionist in the world. She … Read More

The Vancouver Symphony launched its 2013/14 season — officially its 95th — Saturday at the Orpheum with relaxed confidence and optimism. A ceremonial, celebratory mood was enhanced by an evening free of heavyweight standard repertoire and by a brand-new commission. Start-up concerts come with obligatory add-ons — in this case the national anthem and a protracted spate of speeches, all … Read More

There is a stone of white marble on the Cambridge Backs, tucked beneath a tree in King’s College, which bears a short rhyming poem by Xu Zhimo. “Quietly now I leave the Cam,” the poet begins (in Silas Brown’s translation), tendering a farewell to the river, the city, and “the clouded Western sky aflame.” Zhimo’s poem conveys not only the … Read More

Music is a gift and the Llangollen Eisteddfod brought three incredibly gifted musicians to the Royal International Pavilion last night. Percussionist, Dame Evelyn Glennie, the Royal harpist Claire Jones and rising opera star, Noah Stewart brought three different genres to the stage. Dame Evelyn opened the concert when, accompanied by the Eisteddfod’s own orchestra, she showed us her talents as … Read More

In one epic programme celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra had a package most orchestras would spread over several concerts. Not only that, this awesome playlist – from Elgar to Wagner overtures via three heavyweight concertos – was put together in just two weeks. The task was made easier by the fact that three mainstream conductors – Donald Runnicles, … Read More

[Glennie gave] an electric performance of composer Alexis Alrich’s Marimba Concerto, its UK première. World-premièred in Hong Kong in 2009 by the Hong Kong City Orchestra, this action-packed piece injected fresh energy into the whole room. It is one of the most interesting concert compositions I have seen on stage in Bristol and it stole the show. Alrich’s style, “California Impressionism”, … Read More