THERE was a packed house at Bromsgrove’s St John’s Church to hear Beethoven’s 9th Symphony ‘The Choral’ and Elgar’s Violin Concerto.
The Orchestra of St John performed the concert on Saturday.
Renowned music critic Christopher Morley was in the audience for what he called an amazing evening.
In his review he said: “Bromsgrove’s Orchestra of St John is an ensemble which exudes pleasure in its companionable music-making.
“It also vaults with ambition, and this programme was its most demanding yet, calling upon two-and-a-half-hour’s worth of reserves of concentration and stamina.”
‘The music was ‘gripped with enthusiasm and commitment’, he added.
Orchestra leader and violin soloist Charlotte Moseley played Elgar’s Violin Concerto in the first half with a 50-minute performance which showcased all her talents.
Charlotte gained a distinction in her degree from the Royal Academy of Music in July 2017 along with a seldom awarded and prestigious Royal Academy Diploma for an outstanding final recital.
For the ambitious second half the orchestra were joined by the Chorus of St John, an 80-strong choir which performed during the final movement of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
With this performance the Orchestra of St John has now performed all nine of Beethoven’s symphonies in St John’s church – a very special achievement for an amateur orchestra.
To celebrate this achievement the performance will be repeated in Worcester Cathedral at 7.30pm tomorrow, with the orchestra once again under the control of their energetic conductor Richard Jenkinson.
More details on the concert at Worcester Cathedral and a link to by tickets can be found at www.osjBromsgrove.org or follow OSJ on Facebook www.facebook.com/osjbromsgrove or Twitter @osjbromsgrove
