For this one I performed and luckily I wasn't singing. This was Forrest National Chamber Orchestra playing in St Pauls Manuka. It's a pleasure to play for Gillian and her chamber group. Gillian is a violin teacher and invites her students and capable family and others to play. It's lovely to play in such a noble place. OK, it's not Kings College Cambridge, but it is lofty and has a decent organ and an altar with steps so it seems right. This was not a particularly difficult program and I'd played several of the tunes before, but with very little practice I was not quite spot on, but there were some lovely passages and some seriously good playing around. The Corelli concerto had its challenges. The Elgar Serenade has some tricky counts but I knew it. Satie Gnossienne no.1 was an arrangement by Gillian using bass as a key instrument so I liked that one. The Vivaldi double cello concerto was a pleasure, if with a few slips by me, but with a lovely pair of cellists up front, Frances and Duncan, who happen to be partners and parents. From the program, I see that Frances has an illustrious career, playing with the LSO, London Phil, Berlin Phil, Hungarian Radio Orch and others, no less, but very positive and inviting to play with. And Holst St Paul's suite to finish, another I'd played. Maybe I was a bit rough this time given very minimal preparation and practice, but a huge pleasure nonetheless. And a switch from choirs for one session this weekend.
Gillian Bailey-Graham (musical director) conducted the Forrest National Chamber Orchestra at St Pauls. Featured were Frances Stevens and Duncan McIntyre (cellos) and Rebecca Lovett-Kotze (violin, concertmaster). Eric Pozza (bass) played the low end.
Thanks to Michael Hoy for the pic
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