Solent Concert Orchestra summer concert

SOLENT Concert Orchestra gave what must have been one of the first performances by an amateur orchestra during Covid when they played outside Bramshaw Village Hall recently.

The concert, under the baton of their musical director Simon Wilkins, was in aid of the Village Hall Trust which is striving to overcome the serious structural damage caused by a freak storm last year.

Social distancing was in force but this did not prevent the event being very well supported by both the villagers and the orchestra’s loyal supporters, including its long-standing patron Dr. Julian Lewis MP.

The programme started with Copland’s ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’ as a tribute to David Parsons, a founder member of the orchestra and gifted trumpeter, who passed away last year.

Then followed Tony Kitcherside’s ‘Lymington Quay’ to provide a nautical flavour’. Tony used to play in the orchestra and is now a life member. Beethoven’s ‘Cariolan’ Overture brought the best out of the orchestra in the very hot conditions as was shown by the generous applause. ‘Jazz Pizzicato’ by Leroy Anderson provided some light relief before the ever popular and dramatic opening scene from Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake’.

The programme continued with Albeniz’s ‘Tango’ and the well known ‘Waltz No. 2’ by Shostakovich.

A jaunty rendition of ‘An American in Paris’ by George Gershwin and Eric Coates’s ‘Knightsbridge March’ brought the concert to a fitting finale.

The orchestra managed to maintain regular contact via Zoom prior to socially distanced rehearsals resuming in May.

New members are always welcome and the next concert is on 23rd October at the ‘Cornerstone’ URC church in Hythe. More details are available on the website at www.solentconcertorchestra.org.uk