It’s been such a busy week, I’m afraid it’s taken me a while to get around to writing about last Sunday. What a magical day. The school hall at the Friends’ School in Saffron Walden was sold out weeks in advance and crammed to bursting point with the happiest and warmest audience one could hope for. The Uttlesforde Orchestra, and conductor Richard Hull, were full of good humour. And my table was laid out with emulsion paints and rollers. It was time to unleash our animals!
We began with the Thieving Magpie overture by Rossini, and continued with selections from Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals (A dinosaur for fossils was especially popular!), and then Arnold’s own Carnival of Animals was given complete. Next were a few extracts from Elgar’s Wand of Youth suite (Moths and Butterflies; Tame Bear; Wild bears). Lastly came Strauss’ Die Fledermaus overture. Oh and an encore: Rimsky-Korsakov’s Bumble Bee!
Altogether, there were 14 paintings to be created, some in only one minute! A crazy, funny and unforgettable afternoon, and I’ve already been invited back next year…
Huge thanks to all the Harts Bookshop and Words in Walden team. Their book festival is brilliantly put together, superbly organised by the loveliest people in the world. And of course my thanks to the orchestra and Richard for throwing caution to the wind and wholeheartedly joining in the fun!
There is the rumour that the hall could have been filled twice oveer… so we are considering TWO performances next year. Crikey! I wonder what we’ll choose to present next year… any ideas?
Here are a few snaps from the rehearsal and of the finished paintings (sketches, really…!). Enjoy, and thanks to all who came!
AND NOW??? Onwards to The Nutcracker concerts!!!
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