Review by Mark Mortimer, Kentish Gazette 8 May 2008
The following excellent review was published in the local paper following the Canterbury Orchestra Spring Concert.
A WELL-CONCEIVED programme, juxtaposing Rossini's Overture to l'Italiana in Algeri with Beethoven's Violin Concerto in its first half, followed by Mendelssohn's Fourth Symphony, The Italian. So what did Canterbury Orchestra, and in particular its guest soloist, make of the material?
Rossini's Overture was performed in an appropriately witty and light-footed yet purposeful manner and featured sprightly playing by the winds.
A successful performance of Beethoven's Violin Concerto is built on an appreciation that the soloist's role is to spin out lyrical lines, leaving the main dramatic accents and gestures to the orchestra, and as such, a sense of shared purpose is paramount. Fortunately, this point had been understood by all. Lana Trotovsek, a technically assured and confident performer, gave a more than impressive display of sustained legato, both richly nuanced and free of posturing. The concerto's cadenza is a trap for anybody with this inclination, but here there was no meaningless isplay, only a pithy summation of the concerto's aesthetic. The orchestra was an extremely effective catalyst for the soloist's entries and as a foil to her long, lyrical lines. Trotovsek left to prolonged applause.
The wisdom of programming The Italian immediately became apparent. This is a pacy work that compels an audience to participate in the moment and not dwell on something that has gone before. This impression was greatly enhanced by conductor Andrew Lowen, whose enthusiasm provided both a focal point and embodiment of the musical message. The orchestra responded with a collective purpose and drive that suspended the memory of the previous items on the programme.
Mark Mortimer, Kentish Gazette 8 May 2008
Beethoven's Violin Concerto
Overture Italian Girl in Algiers
Symphony No. 4 (Italian)
April 26th 2008 St. Peter's Methodist Church, Canterbury at 7.30pm.
The Canterbury Orchestra under its new Musical Director, Andrew Lowen, and with its new Leader, Chris Brown, will be giving its Spring Concert on Saturday 26 April at 7.30pm. in St. Peter’s Methodist Church.
The programme will include Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony, Rossini’s Italian Girl in Algiers and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto.
The concert will feature the outstanding young Slovenian soloist, Lana Trotovsek. Lana began playing the violin when she was five and went on to win many top prizes for young musicians in her own country and further afield. She studied at the Academy of Music in her native Ljubljana and has recently been studying as a postgraduate Advance Diploma student at Trinity College London. She was awarded ‘The Friends in New York’ prize and was invited to perform the Khachaturian Violin Concerto with the Belgrade SRT Orchestra in 2007.
Tickets available from Canterbury Information Centre (Tel: 01227 347100) priced £8.50 with concessions for students, from Tony Harris (01227 728152) or on the door.
For more information about the soloist Lana Trotosvek
For further details above see the list of forthcoming concerts.
The Canterbury Orchestra, Kent, was founded in 1953. The Canterbury Orchestra is a thriving group of enthusiastic amateur players who regularly tackle major works from the symphonic repertoire.
| Details of forthcoming concerts are also listed in the Events Diary of the Canterbury Arts Council webpage. |  |
Further information by email from contact @ canterburyorchestra.org.uk |