Three demanding performances over three days, with long haul flights either side: This is how the Orchestra of the Music Makers travelled from Singapore for their European debut, and created a sensation. What stars they are! You may have heard about the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra; well the Orchestra of the Music Makers need fear nothing by comparison. Their playing is filled with an energy and joy that is irresistibly infectious.
Arthur O’Shaughnessy’s Ode to Music and Moonlight gave them their title:
“We are the music makers, we are the dreamers of dreams”.
Well it was a dream come true for me to join them for two concerts featuring Rimsky-Korsakov’s spectacular symphonic suite Scheherazade, full of moonlight and music! Stories from the Arabian Nights, of Sinbad, and Camaralzeman and magnetic rocks and genies and princesses and pomegranates. AND painting live illustrations… I was in my element!
Musically it’s hard piece, with many intricate solos. But this colossal orchestra performed it with a maturity beyond their years. Such is the exceptional level of playing from these youngsters – all 107 of them – that they sounded resplendent. And their conductor Chan Tze Law led a wonderfully warm, romantic and dazzlingly colourful account of the score, blazing with drama at one moment, beguilingly perfumed the next. It was intoxicating!
The first performance was in the magnificent Cheltenham Town Hall and felt like a huge success for all concerned. I loved every minute of it and felt so happy for my new Singaporean friends! I am hugely grateful to director Meurig Bowen (in picture with turban!) and Alexis Paterson for this opportunity and for having faith in the whole concept.
The next day took us to Lichfield cathedral – a truly awe inspiring setting (although one with logistical challenges!) for another wonderful concert (including Dukas’ Sorcerer’s Apprentice and a very short, very fast encore by Elgar: Wild Bears!). My sincere thanks to director Fiona Stuart for inviting me to such an exciting venue.
At both venues the art created was raffled for Charity, books were signed and friendships made and renewed. It was an exhilarating few days, and a huge honour to work with these exceptional musicians and to see so many children coming to a classical concert! And who knows where it will lead next? There have been a few conversations, but I can’t say any more just yet. But the torrential rain is actually a very good omen for one incredibly exciting project in development. Watch this space…
At both concerts it was lovely to see familiar friends in the audience – author Caryl Hart, and Zoe Toft, who has a simply wonderful children’s book review website called PLAYING BY THE BOOK.Zoe kindly took many of the pictures at Lichfield. Jane Churchill, Cheltenham Children’s Book Festival director took pictures in Cheltenham. My thanks to both – it’s lovely to have a memory of such an exciting event which I am sure was, for the orchestra, an historic first tour.
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