Music to our ears – Year Ten Concert Goes Online

On Tuesday evening, over forty screens gathered on Google Meet for the RGS Music Year Ten Online Concert. Fifteen soloists played and sang from their homes, presenting polished and enjoyable performances of music from a wonderful variety of composers and musical styles. 

Martha Burdon (‘cello) opened the concert with a graceful and flowing performance of Saint-Saëns’ The Swan, with further Saint-Saën music appearing later in the concert from Will Hulbert (French horn) who played Romance, Op.36 with both panache and gentility. Annie Hallowell (flute) played Gossec’s Tambourin with dexterity and spirit, following which Noah Davison played Schumann’s Lebhaft, leicht (‘Lively, light’) from Fantasiestücke, Op.73 with passion and a rich, fulsome tone on the clarinet.

Contemporary music was performed by Henry Newall, whose video recording of AC/DC’s You Shook Me All Night Long on the guitar truly rocked. Oliver Tibbetts (piano) oozed bluesy cool with his slick performance of Blues for Beth by Mike Cornick, whilst George Laney helped the audience to go Dancing in the Moonlight, care of Toploader, with his rhythmic and precise drum playing. Cailen Jones sang Love Yourself by Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber, with impressive sincerity and simplicity as did Mischa Denney-Richards as she sang Olivia Rodrigo’s All I Want.

Transporting us back in time to Russia 1878, was Catherine Broadbent’s dramatic and full-blooded solo performance of the Canzonetta from Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major. Georgia Lee delighted with her spritely and joyful performance of Elgar’s Chanson de Matin on the piano, whilst Callum Lockett (piano) played his own gentle rendition of Khalid’s Young, Dumb and Broke. Callum Butler’s saxophone playing truly was Dynamite as he played his James Rae solo piece with both confidence and care, following which Josefina Round sang and acted If I Were a Bell from Guys and Dolls with humour and charm. Luke Jones (piano) closed the concert with a lyrical performance of Mendelssohn’s Andante Sostenuto from Kinderstücke, Op.72.

The fifty-minute concert was accompanied by a steady stream of reactive comments, from the audience via the Google Meet chat function, who clearly enjoyed each performer’s skill and talent and we add our sincere congratulations and thanks to them all. 

There will be more RGS Musical highlights over the coming weeks.

Mr Jonathan Soman

Director of Music