Helix Ensemble, St Thomas’ Church, Kendal

IN 1991, the late Anice Paterson founded the Helix Ensemble, a flexible group of experienced musicians from the east Midlands who come together to perform chamber music and orchestral works. The group, aims to explore rarely heard chamber or small orchestral works alongside more traditional items and, over a period of more than 20 years, the players have commissioned over 20 new compositions, winning many accolades for their innovative programme planning.

On Sunday, May 3, the orchestra visited Kendal, giving a concert in St Thomas’s Church in memory of Anice who sadly died in Kendal last year.

It was good to hear such spirited orchestral playing from a fine group of musicians under the leadership of conductor and violinist, David Greed; it was worthy tribute to a much loved musician who in her lifetime gave so much in the service of music and music education.

The concert began with Benjamin Britten’s arrangement of Henry Purcell’s great G minor Chaconne in which the strings produced a vibrant sound. Next came Dvorak’s lovely Romance in F minor with David Greed giving a fine performance, doubling as soloist and director. Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks concerto - which, we were told, Anice included in her first concert with the ensemble in 1992 - followed. With its constantly shifting time signatures, this is demanding work rhythmically for both orchestra and conductor but it came off well. However, the acoustics of the church, where woodwind and brass sounds bounce off the walls, meant that some of the string passages were obscured.

Mozart’s glorious Symphony No 40 brought the concert to a close. Again, this was a very secure performance with some lovely playing from the woodwind section. I’m sure Anice would be proud of what her orchestra has gone on to achieve since its pioneering days in the early 90s.

Clive Walkley