| Date and venue | Title |
|---|---|
| 17-May-2013 Sage: Hall One | Agony and ecstasy from Northern Sinfonia |
 It’s a slightly topsy-turvy world when a Shostakovich symphony lightens the mood and sends you home grinning, and when a work by Mahler is a filler rather than the main event. It’s also unusual to hear Northern Sinfonia playing full orchestral works by either of these composers, as most of their symphonic output requires much larger forces, so there was much that was new and enjoyable in tonight’s concert, even though there was no obvious connection between the works on the programme.
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| 1-Dec-2012 Sheldonian Theatre | Superlative Britten in Oxford: World première of Two Psalms |
 With his centenary year fast approaching, Saturday night’s concert was a celebration of all things Britten. The festivities have certainly begun in style in Oxford, with Nicholas Cleobury leading the Oxford Bach Choir, the English Chamber Orchestra and soprano Elizabeth Atherton in some truly outstanding music-making. Mixing works by Britten himself with those by composers who influenced him, the performances of the majority of the pieces were dynamic and committed, and certainly made for a memorable evening.
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| 26-Oct-2012 Usher Hall | RSNO with Søndergård in Andersson, Mahler and Sibelius |
 The pre-concert talk is a firm favourite with many RSNO regulars. Situated in what feels like an impromptu chapel near the Upper Circle Bar, this 25-minute exploration attracts a congregation which spills well beyond the hundred or so seats laid out. Soon to rejoin the ranks of the first violins, Ursula Heideker Allen interviewed two of the evening’s key figures: RSNO Principal Guest Conductor Thomas Søndergård, and the composer of the opening piece, B. Tommy Andersson.Read full review... | |
| 31-Aug-2012 Usher Hall | Scottish Chamber Orchestra in Edinburgh play Mahler, Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich |
 'First impressions are often the truest', wrote Hazlitt. I was immediately struck by the amount of space on the Usher Hall stage, recently filled by so many large symphony orchestras. The Scottish Chamber Orchestra had plenty of space, a feature which was soon to be borne out in the music.
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