Cultural Dessert

On Sunday I played in the annual Northampton Symphony Orchestra Friends’ Concert – a free bonus concert for subscribing ‘Friends’ of the orchestra. This is always a nice way for us to say thank you to the people who have supported us throughout the year and for us to feature particular sections of the orchestra. I really enjoyed Sunday’s programme which included Copland’s ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’ (for brass and percussion), Elgar's ‘Introduction and Allegro for Strings’ and the ‘Serenade for 13 Wind Instruments’ by Richard Strauss as well as the ‘Karelia Suite’ by Sibelius and Rossini's overture to ‘The Thieving Magpie’. For a short programme it was surprisingly strenuous, particularly in a very hot theatre, but I think all the pieces went well and it was a lovely way to round off our 2009-10 season.