Piazzolla & Vivaldi

Friday and Saturday this week sees the Welsh Sinfonia collaborate with the National Youth Orchestra of Wales in Piazzolla's Four Seasons linked with the Vivaldi classic. The Piazzolla if you don't know it is well worth a listen - jazzy, rhythmic but soulful at times too. With the NYOW's youthful exuberance, it should prove an amazing performance. Please come and see us if you can at BBC Hoddinott Hall 1-2pm Saturday.

Night Flight

Tomorrow afternoon in the Dora Stoutzker Hall, in preparation for the Welsh Sinfonia’s Season Finale, I will workshop 'Night Flight' by John Hardy, Spyros Syrmos, Chris Bond and Ben Vaughan with the Welsh Sinfonia. This promises to be a great preview for the concert which takes place March 22nd, in the presence of The Earl of St Andrews, our Patron. 
Session for RWCMD students only 2-5pm, DS Hall, RWCMD. 
Free Public Session 7-9pm, Location: St Teilos, Woodville Rd. Cardiff
Hope to see some of you there.

Welsh Sinfonia Review

Review: 29th January 2012

The Welsh Sinfonia delivered another colourful string programme under the direction of Mark Eager at the Dora Stoutzker Hall, featuring the little known Serenade in E flat, Op 6 composed by Josef Suk, alongside other influential composers; William Mathias and Antonín Dvořák.

Josef Suk is arguably better known through his compositional studies with Dvořák and the later marriage of Dvořák’s eldest daughter. Suk’s Serenade in E flat was composed at the tender age of 18 and, like the rest of works in this programme, is full of rhythmic vitality mirrored with pure serenity. The strings captured the richness and sublimity of the third movement, which was followed by the distinctively challenging virtuosic finale, which fully demonstrated the technical capabilities of the Welsh Sinfonia. Particular highlights within the work include the numerous violin solos, performed by the leader, Robin Stowell, and also the cello solo in the third movement, performed by Nick Gethin, whose passionate sound could be heard by all.

William Mathias’ Divertimento, Op 7 was an excellent choice of repertoire, placed in the thick of Czech compositions, and was most exciting. The rhythmical aspects of the work as a whole were well controlled, culminating with a further rhythmic onslaught in the final movement.

The concert concluded with Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings, Opus 22. Perhaps the most popular of the programme, it once again demonstrated the diverse capabilities of this orchestra, who handled all technical aspects of the work with great musicality. The lyrical beauty of the fourth movement was achieved through the tender treatment of the melodic line, which is strikingly different to the finale, which was full of exuberance, excitement, and was a real joy to watch.

The Welsh Sinfonia return to the Dora Stoutzker Hall for the final time this season on 22^nd March with an orchestral programme of Haydn, Schubert, and features a new commission by John Hardy.

Stephanie Richards