With hardly a spare seat in St Paul’s Church in Bedford, Ian Smith, Bedford Sinfonia’s guest conductor, opened the Bedfordshire Orchestral Society 2024/5 season on Saturday night (19 October).
He brought an ambitious and joyous programme featuring Beethoven’s Symphony Number 4, Haydn’s Hen Symphony and Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto delivering an evening of exhilarating music.
The highlight was Tim Hawes, the trumpet soloist who performed with virtuosity and class. The orchestra accompanied with finesse and all were under his spell.
“I’d never heard the trumpet sounding as nice as it did when Tim Hawes was playing,” said Olivia, a NBYCO (North Bedfordshire Youth Chamber Orchestra) student. She was one of a number who came to the concert as a guest of the Beds Orchestral Society as part of their Outreach Programme.
One of the core missions of the BOS Outreach Programme is to encourage young musicians in Bedfordshire. NBYCO are learning Beethoven Symphony 4 this term so this was an opportunity for NBYCO students to hear it played live in its entirety.
We often hear the phrase that “we can’t be what we can’t see”, so inviting NBYCO students is more than just opening the doors to a new experience.
“[The concert] filled us all with so much joy to see the orchestra perform with such power and sensitivity. The memory of that glorious night of music-making will, no doubt, inspire our own playing endlessly,” said Nelly, another NBYCO student.
Chatting to the NBYCO students in the interval it was clear that they were enjoying the whole occasion: time to be with friends, to listen to great music and share the excitement together.
And it wasn’t just for the under-18s.
Audience member, Ruth Smith from Wootton, said: “A splendid concert in excellent surroundings. The programme was perfect and the music was sublime. Well done, everyone.”
The next BOS concert is on Saturday, 9 November at the Corn Exchange in Bedford. This time it’s the Bedfordshire Symphony Orchestra playing Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 and Elgar’s Violin Concerto. A real treat for the audience and players alike.
To book tickets for all upcoming Bedfordshire Orchestral Society concerts visit bedfordsymphony.com.
by Ann Collins
