WHAT a special evening.
I do enjoy walking in to a packed theatre just before a performance to hear the buzz of anticipation from an expectant audience, and that is just what I found at last Saturday’s concert given by the IW Symphony Orchestra.

Medina Theatre was full, not a seat to be had, for what turned out to be a very special evening.
The concert began with a sadly neglected work by Charles Hubert Parry (he of Jerusalem fame). This was his homage to Brahms and was written at the time of the death of that great composer. The work, Elegy for Brahms, cleverly uses the tonality associated with Brahms while retaining the quintessential Englishness of the harmonies. Although it might never make the Classic FM top 100, it certainly deserves to be heard again.
Following this opener for me was the highlight of the evening. The orchestra were joined by the young violinist Joo Yeon Sir for a breathtaking performance of the violin concerto by Brahms. The work is well known as an epic and the soloist’s performance and interpretation was musically and technically flawless. The work also calls for a tremendous orchestra and the IWSO did not disappoint.
Keep an eye out for this soloist as she is going places. I hope she will be back on the Island again before too long.
The second half of the concert was given over to one work — an orchestral masterpiece, Schehere-zade. This four-movement work calls for a technically assured orchestra and, within that, a number of excellent soloists, in particular the leader of the orchestra, Matthew Scrivener, who rose to the occasion with aplomb.
The orchestra, under the baton of guest conductor Rupert Bond, gave a superb performance of this work and I felt my fellow audience members left having enjoyed a wonderful evening of music.
I am looking forward to March, when the orchestra will be in action again, this time welcoming back Island favourite pianist Viv McLean.
Get your tickets soon, it looks like being another deserved sell out.