AWO, ANAM, CGGS

It was a rushed job to get there and record (after a night in Yass with Bassano) but I enjoyed Forrest National Chamber Orchestra's concert in the CGGS Chapel. It's a mixed group of experienced players and young students. The music is always satisfying. This program featured Albinoni, Elgar, Haydn, Vaughan Williams and Bizet. The Haydn was his Cello concerto no.1 CMaj performed by Samuel Payne, now a teacher at CGGS (Canberra Girls Grammar School). He's youthful but a graduate of Sydney Con, ANAM, a performer under Zubin Mehta in the Australian World Orchestra and a CSO member. His performance was graceful and firmly spelled out and played from memory. I like that determination in performance: neat and precise. The Greensleeves was a lovely thing, with some piano. The Bizet was one I know well as I've played it. The Elgar was his Elegy for strings op.58 was fairly short and pensive. The other piece was Albinoni Sinfonia Gmaj, all baroque dignity and danceability. FNCO was variously conducted by Gillian Bailey-Graham and Shilong Ye. Nice one

Forrest National Chamber Orchestra performed in the CGGS Chapel under Gillian Bailey-Graham and Shilong Ye (conductors) with soloist Samuel Payne (cello) playing Haydn.