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The evening opened with the skirl of the pipes being given unusual elegance by the playing of Millie Scott: the Highland Cathedral and Scotland the Brave offered a rousing opening to the programme.
A powerful jazz quartet followed, giving an accomplished and vital reading of Time After Time: James Soper offered up a mellifluous saxophone solo and Ellen Arkwright’s jazz vocal filled the hall.
The College Brass Quintet offered an atmospheric reading of Hymn to the Fallen by John Williams. This combined subtlety with welling emotion and pathos: an intricate piece was played with great panache and confidence and a range of registers gave a sense of both immediacy and, subsequently, distance: echoes were heard and the audience was moved.
The Big Band turned up in theatrical style and offered powerful and resonant display filled with teamwork and punch: Alex Arkwright choreographed the performance with customary drive and panache. The relay of solos was accomplished and multi-layered and those given by James Soper and Millie Scott were particularly strong. Sausalito Strut played homage to Ravel and Debussy with much of the chart involving whole band improvisation with ideas and motifs developed by the players themselves and, after minimalist opening, a swelling of sound reassembled the sense of the ensemble’s range. The use of deliberate discordance gave way to emergent rhythms in a neatly balanced fashion. The rigorous enthusiasm instilled by the Director was evident and, again, a range of solos was rich, broad and highly skilled. The cascade of saxophones tumbled in a melodic and harmonious manner. Henry Williams gave a virtuoso display on the double bass whilst Fred Gibson offered a beautifully restrained drum solo. The piece was varied and demanding and the Big Band rose to the occasion superbly.
The Senior Percussion Ensemble offered an effervescent and rhythmic account of Rosaro’s Marimba Concerto the hovering vibrato notes on both wood and metal enriched melodious and highly musical performance. Fred Gibson led in luminous fashion.
The Wind Orchestra - Brasser, led by Annabel Soper, were in fine form. They opened their programme with ‘Gavorkna Fanfare’ by Jack Stamp, an angular and obdurate work: the gradual gathering of sound meant that percussion was augmented by woodwind, and finally, brass: the sense of melodic crescendo was beautifully delivered. The variety of pace of Creed and Chant Rituals was skilfully orchestrated and the interplay between the various elements of the group meant that there was a celebration of sound. The vocalisation worked in refreshing counterpoint to the woodwind. |