Our next concert on Saturday 1st March should jolly well be memorable. It’s not everyday that an amateur orchestra finds itself being directed by the assistant conductor of one the country’s leading orchestras. If you include the fact that she is female then the situation actually becomes unique. In case it escaped your notice, it was announced yesterday that Ewa Strusinska has been appointed Assistant Conductor to the Halle Orchestra. It is a massive vote of confidence from Mark Elder to make the first female appointment to such a post in the UK. I reckon this will be her first orchestral concert since the appointment, and Borodin, Rachmaninov and Tchaikowsky will suit her down to the ground. Very many congratulations from all at the SPO.
Our soloist for the Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 2 is also a woman of formidable talent. Like Ewa, Romanian born Alexandra Dariescu hails from the Royal Northern College of Music, and has been walking away with awards, competitions (27!) and plaudits for the last few years. We are hiring a suitably large piano for this hugely popular work.
Anyoneone visiting this blog should come along to St John’s Ranmoor at 7.30 pm Saturday 1st of March for a real Eastern European treat.
D
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Pingback by Girl Power February 22, 2008 @ 12:25 pmWhat great news. I feel we are so lucky to have such an inspiring conductor. What we need now is confirmation of a great rehearsal venue……
Comment by AB February 22, 2008 @ 4:56 pmConfirmed until the end of the year!
Comment by david February 23, 2008 @ 9:24 amD
So a decision has been reached!
Comment by AB February 24, 2008 @ 9:56 amBy the way – the rehearsal schedule suggests that the Mozart is on the 19th whereas the concert list says the 12th. Has the concert date changed?
Comment by AB February 24, 2008 @ 10:04 amwow! well done Ewa-but not a surprise really
looking forward to the concert and putting the word out!
Comment by catherine February 24, 2008 @ 1:02 pmc.o.
Congratulations to Ewa!! I knew the orchestra was in good hands. Good luck for the concert.
Comment by John Pearson February 28, 2008 @ 8:32 amThe last concet: WOW! Well done Ewa and thank you. The excitement and tension generated was quite somethig and Andrew Callow’s review is v good. I have heard comments about the extraordinary dynamic range about dynamism of the tempi, the togetherness and the tonal quality of the strings (the pizziccato in the scherzo was breathtaking – well done guys!) and how rounded things were. And these from people who have supported us with varying degrees of enthusiasm in the past. It has even been said we have surpassed the SSO!
Of course I love all of this but frankly I was knackered, as I am sure were others. As an amateur I cannot build the stamina for an afternoon rehearsal and an evening concert of such great, big works, and it was commented that whilest the excitement was maintained perhaps the accuracy wasnt as people began to flag. Should we consider rehearsing on Saturday mornings to give extra recovery time pre concert?? Just a thought.
Comment by Frank March 9, 2008 @ 10:41 am