Review: Westmorland Youth Orchestra summer concert @ Parish Church, Kendal (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Review: Westmorland Youth Orchestra summer concert @ Parish Church, Kendal

5:36pm Thursday 9th July 2009 in

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AN APPRECIATIVE Kendal Parish Church audience made the most of a balmy evening at the Westmorland Youth Orchestra’s entertaining, if sometimes challenging, summer concert.

Noel Bertram continued his crusade to broaden the musical horizons of both orchestra and audience by featuring contemporary German composer Detlev Glanert and a very modern-sounding Anton Webern.

As Bertram himself declared: “After the Glanert, extracts from Stravinsky’s Firebird felt like a bit of light relief”.

This saw the WYO playing at its customary best, though pieces by Purcell, Gabrieli and Bach were also despatched with confidence.

The mix was leavened by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt and Aaron Copland’s famous Shaker melody.

A definite highlight was the revised tone poem Firestone and the Phoenix composed by principal cellist Matthew Bell.

The Kendal Probus Club’s annual award for outstanding contributions was shared by Heppy Deane and Charlotte Curwen, respectively principal flute and bassoon.

The mood was set by the Merang-a-tangs, a group of seven-to-nine year olds from Levens CE School who banged out some exuberant Welcome Music on drums in what teacher teacher Rachael Wadey said was their first gig.

Now the WYO knows where to look for future percussionists.