Midlands Classical Music Making

  CBSO VIOLAS CENTRE STAGE                   CBSO Centre ***** Tucked away somewhere between the soaraway brilliance of the violins and the august nobility of the cellos and basses, orchestral violas might be thought of as leading a retiring life, modestly content with their discreet status. Nothing could be further from the truth, as this delightful matinee concert revealed. The CBSO viola section has a huge fan club, as a packed, whooping CBSO Centre demonstrated, responding to this wonderful display of viola capabilities we enjoyed.   Liberated from the confines of orchestral textures, the players brought us ruminations deep and soulful on the C string, tingling harmonics in the ethereal upper reaches, shimmering tremolandi and deft pizzicato, all delivered with wonderful empathy between the players in this enthralling exploration of works by York Bowen, Dale and Richter.  ...

                                             CBSO                                                           Symphony Hall ***** The roar which greeted the entry of the CBSO onto the Symphony Hall stage last Wednesday hailed the arrival for the last time as principal cellist of the orchestra Eduardo Vassallo, retiring after 36 years, the first couple of those even before this magnificent hall was opened. Vassallo formed a close relationship with Sir Simon Rattle, who engaged him, and has sin...

  CHRISTMAS AT LONGBOROUGH Nestling high in a fold of a Cotswolds hillside, Longborough’s ancient St James’ Church was the perfect venue for a Christmas concert last Sunday celebrating the music-making prowess of young people. “Christmas at Longborough” effectively showcased the Longborough Youth Chorus, an all-year-round offshoot of the internationally renowned Longborough Festival Opera, and these 33 youngsters covered themselves and their team of mentors (Emma Campbell, David Eaton, Maria Jagusz) with masses of credit. Everyone knew exactly what they had to do when and where during these 45-minutes proceedings, presented twice, with movement in and out of the choir stalls and onto the front of the chancel beautifully synchronised. This was an impressive display of stage-discipline and memory. Among the offerings were a range of carols from all over the world, solos both English and international from Longborough Young Artists Jasmine Flicker, Myrna Tennent and Patrick Do...

  AURORA LIGHTS UP THE CBSO FESTIVE CONCERT CBSO at Symphony Hall ★★★ There's a film and television genre the makers call "feelgood". The works may not be of the highest artistic merit or stay long in the memory but at the end everyone is smiling, uplifted and cheered. This concert was a feelgood occasion bursting with festive spirit with many family groups in the audience, proud parents waving at their children who were members of the choir. The concert included three world premieres, two of which confirming that world premiere does not necessarily mean world class. The concert was the pinnacle of the "Bringing the Light" project, a community-based event which began a year ago with the CBSO's Community Board working with the Canal & River Trust to light up the nearby canal with a Lantern Walk. The emphasis has been on shining a light, literally and metaphorically, on the CBSO's connection with Birmingham and its multifarious, multifaith community. T...