Still kids

Amongst all the differences are the similarities. This one was the kids. National Capital Orchestra played a final concert for the year at Albert Hall on a Saturday afternoon and it was for families. One third of the audience was kids, mostly little ones. Many up front, a few feet from delicate instruments (so think the musos in the front rows) but there were no accidents. There were little bouncing dancing girls, intrigued little ones, very little ones who weren't old enough to get it, hoards lying or sitting on the floor up front. The theme was Peter and the Wolf, Prokofiev's dark story and introduction to the orchestra, narrated by Charles Hudson with suitable deep voice, playful interchange and menacing storyline. He did a great job, as did Leonard throughout, flashing silhouettes of wolf and cat and bird and the rest, chatting with audience with friendly glee, selecting for a kids' conducting competition (a girl won it and got to lead NCO in a encore of a rousing section of Rossini) and otherwise just conducting in his supportive and thoroughly capable way. The other music was Rossini Barber of Seville overture and two that were certainly adult works, Mozart Flute and harp concerto mvt.2 with John Smiles and Elizabeth Alford and Honegger Cello concerto with Christian Renggli. The Honegger is a strange mix of Gershwin jazz themes and modernism. This was Chris' final play with the orchestra before returning to Europe. He's been here for a PhD at ANU including 3.5 years with NCO; he'll be missed. The whole concert went went with amusement and elan where fitting and tons of great playing. This is a seriously capable non-prof orchestra. And then afternoon tea for all after. A great afternoon.

National Capital Orchestra performed at Albert Hall under Leonard Weiss (conductor) with Charles Hudson (narrator) and soloists John Smiles (flute), Elizabeth Alford (harp) and Christian Renggli (cello).

Blessings

It's funny to think that I cut my middle finger, left hand, cutting a tomato for lunch, and I got through the NCO concerto concert with a bandage. It wasn't so bad (not bad at all) but it's a fear of musicians. I've heard tell of musicians' hands insured for millions; apocryphal, perhaps, and worthy of some amusement. This was the National Capital Orchestra's Concerto Concert. It's an annual end-of-year event where members take the limelight to play movements of concertos or perhaps take the stand as conductor. This time, the concertos were an interesting bunch: for two violas (Prot), for four horns (Schumann) and one more common, for flute (Mozart). Also a few songs from G&S and Verdi and a devilishly difficult piece, Liszt Les preludes, and a famous unfinished symphony (Schubert). It was a varied mixtape of music with plenty of challenges. That's how I like it. As expected, we cut the Liszt better than ever before ("she'll be right on the night") but still not perfectly. That must be a common refrain. The Mozart and Prot sat with nice classical order, so much so that we played the Mozart without conductor, in chamber style. Kaitlin was lovely in the arias and hit plenty of high notes. The four horns fascinated me with their volume and smooth interactions. Interesting to see the ear plugs out in the front rows that took the full force of the horns. (I wished for earplugs for the percussion to finish Liszt: it was ecstatically loud and close behind me). Then to end, Schubert's Unfinished symphony, simple lines but quite compelling. To end my first year with the NCO. I feel blessed. These guys can really cut it.

National Capital Orchestra played its end-of-year Concerto concert at John Lingard Hall at Canberra Grammar School. Composers were Liszt, Prot, Mozart, G&S, Verdi, Schumann and Schubert. Conductors were Leonard Weiss and Christian Renglii. Soloists were Alex Kunzelmann and Suzanna Powell (violas), John Smiles (flute), Kaitlin Nihill (soprano) and Angela Liu, Dianne Tan, Anne-Marie Siiteri and Iain Hercus (horns).