Autumnal Sunday in Sydney and where better for a matinee performance by arguably the most seasoned community youth orchestra based in the Upper North Shore, than the Kuringai Youth Orchestra . I have become a devotee of this vibrant group of talented musicians where camaraderie and love of being in an orchestra has fostered a keen sense of pride and belonging.
Under the mentoring of the ebullient conductor Brad Lucas this orchestra has bloomed with his comprehensive engagement, teaching, performing and leadership. As well as serving as KYO’s musical director, he is a sought-after guest conductor for several community orchestras in Sydney including the North Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Woollahra Philharmonic Orchestra.
POSTCARDS FROM EUROPE began with a rousing Marche Militaire Francaise from Suite Algerienne (1860) by Camille Saint-Saens depicting his lifetime love of Algeria, which was then governed as part of metropolitan France. It contains four movements: “View of Algiers”, “Moorish Rhapsody”, “An Evening Dream at Blida” and the “French Military March”, the movement being performed today. Each movement had a program note written by Saint-Saens, who relevantly wrote the following for the movement: “Back in Algiers, in the picturesque setting of the bazaars and Moorish cafes, one hears the redoubled steps of a French regiment, whose warlike accents contrast with the bizarre rhythms and languorous melodies of the orient.
The orchestra launched into the second part of the program, String Symphony No.2 (1821) by Felix Mendelssohn, a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period, who sought to master and reinvigorate the musical legacy of the past. This work features his conservative, classical style. A prolific composer he wrote numerous quartets, symphonies, siN fonias, concertos, he was hailed by his contemporary, Schumann as “the Mozart of the 19th century”. Mendelssohn was just 12 years old when he composed this work! This was one of 13 early string symphonies composed between 1821 to 1823, which were performed within his household as a family.
Warmed up the KYO performed another Felix Mendelssohn piece, the enchanting Overture for Winds(1824, revised 1838). Written when the composer was just 15 years old for the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin whom he befriended on a holiday with his father in the town of Vad Doberan.
Originally titled “Nocturno”, it was written for the Grand Duke’s court orchestra, called a “harmonie”, meaning an ensemble of wind instruments, usually a wind octet. The dexterity and fluidity of the orchestra was sublime as was their mastery of the intricate movement.
The audience were rapt with the next item in the program, Four Norwegian Dances (1881) by Edvard Geieg. This was enchanting and ever so romantic. Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist of the Romantic era. This work was orchestrated by his friend, Bohemian composer Hans Sitt and exemplified Grieg’s Norwegian nationalism, peasant culture and literature.
One of the cello players whose outstanding performance enhanced the excellence of the orchestra, was in fifth lass. The entire audience whooped an clapped enthusiastically recalling an excellent output by the amazing musicians.
This Kuringai Youth Concert was performed at Abbotsleigh.
