On Saturday, 15 November, audience members at the Corn Exchange were treated to a fantastic first concert of the season from the Bedfordshire Symphony Orchestra (BSO).
When the conductor Bjorn Bantock lifted his arms, one could hear a pin drop, such was the focus in the venue.
At last, tensions were relieved as the first notes sounded of the sinister yet powerful Night on a Bald Mountain by Mussorgsky. The contrast in this piece was astounding, perfectly capturing both the intense and the emotional in 10 minutes of truly enthralling music.
Next came the Overture and Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Mendelssohn, with thought-provoking quotes projected during the performance.
One such quote was ‘The course of love did never run smooth’. This was certainly the case with this piece, as each individual movement had its own personality, captured superbly by the orchestra.
During the break, younger members of the audience (many of whom had benefitted from the scheme to provide free tickets to under-18s) were invited to a meet-and-greet session with some members of the brass section. Issy Fowler, one of the many under-18s watching the concert, used the words ‘incredible’ and ‘inspiring’ to describe seeing the orchestra in its element.
The second half of the concert provided a worthy ending to a brilliant evening, with Dvorak’s 9th ‘New World’ Symphony, which was a captivating performance, passionately conducted by Bjorn. Stand-out contributions included beautiful solos on the French horn and cor anglais by Kate Knight and Simon Cooper.
As per usual, BSO delivered yet another sublime concert, with audience member Andrew summing up the evening, saying, “It was stimulating and wonderfully professional”, one of many glowing views held by those watching.
Make sure not to miss the next Bedfordshire Orchestral Society concert on Saturday, 24 January 2026, where there will be a programme celebrating female composers. To book tickets visit bedfordsymphony.com.
by Elias Demetrius-Louisy, age 15
BOS Youth Ambassador
