November 2024 Concert

Dear lovely players of the ESO,

What a wonderful concert the orchestra achieved last Saturday. As Clare said in her excellent email: it was indeed a concert charged with lots of emotions, an incredibly wide variety of styles despite all the composers being British, a big and very appreciative audience and a super polished ensemble that gave the very best with such poise and mastery.

One of our lovely trombonists told me at the end of the concert that I looked completely absorbed in the music. This was thanks to the stunning playing of the orchestra; every corner, every bar, every tricky bit; and every special colour was achieved with such clarity, I didn’t feel I was carrying the orchestra but that the performance was actually a conversation. This is the relationship of trust that creates the symbiotic being of a great orchestra.

Great thanks indeed to Miles, Josh (who suggested the programme), Trevor, Katie, Helen, Caroline and Merrill for their incredible work.

I would like to also thank Tim (Caroline’s husband) and Peter (Lorraine’s husband) who are always at the front helping with whatever is needed whenever they can, Viv, who, although is not a co-chair anymore, always comes to our concerts and gives such warm support to the group, Nicky Hobbs for helping us with the programme notes, and of course Phil, who come to all or most of our concerts and are always such great supporters, Mark Perry and his lovely wife for always coming and support the orchestra in concerts and in rehearsals and/or sectionals, all the section principals for coordinating the sections and keeping the best possible energy going on in their sections, and of course to Clare, who is such an amazing and supportive leader. From her excellent playing,  musical and bowing suggestions, to coordinating matters of space at the venues, she is such a calm and assertive leader I am SO happy to be able to rely upon.

I can’t wait to resume rehearsals in January for our next programme:

• Nielsen’s Helios Overture
• Brahms’ Variations on a Haydn’s Theme
• Sibelius 2nd Symphony

But in the meantime I wish you all a very lovely Christmas and Happy New Year!!

All the best

Arturo

Exeter Symphony Orchestra Facebook page is now up and running – open to all www.facebook.com/ExeterSymphonyOrchestra . Feel free to contribute and invite your friends and don’t forget to tick ‘like’. There is also a Twitter page – with much feedback from our concerts. Again, please do feel free to contribute – @Exeter_Symphony