Musical introversion and extroversion from Collon, Sokolov and Aurora

By Alexander Hall, 25 June 2022

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“Sokolov tapped into a deep well of loneliness”

Reviewed at Royal Festival Hall, London on 24 June 2022

Tchaikovsky, Violin Concerto in D major, Op.35

Kreisler, Recitativo and Scherzo-Caprice, Op.6

Shostakovich, Symphony no. 9 in E flat major, Op.70 (performed from memory)

Aurora Orchestra

Nicholas Collon, Conductor

Valeriy Sokolov, Violin

Echoes of Youth from the Aurora principals at Kings Place

Mark Valencia, 19th March

Billed under the heading ‘Echoes of Youth’, this Kings Place programme is an attractive ragbag of unlikely bedfellows.

****1

Brett Dean and Lotte Betts-Dean unlock musical memories at Kings Place

Eleanor Knight, 17th January

Father and daughter team of Brett Dean and Lotte Betts-Dean join forces for the opening concert of Kings Place’s ‘Memory Unwrapped’ season.

****1

Aurora dazzle in Edinburgh International Festival debut

Simon Thompson, 18th August

Aurora Orchestra turn Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony inside out to exhilarating effect in a dazzling performance in their Scottish debut. Abel Selaocoe’s Four Spirits, on the other hand, has surface shine but not much substance.

****1

Aurora Orchestra pulls off another dramatic performance from memory

Nick Boston, 17th August

Nicholas Collon and the Aurora Orchestra, together with Frantic Assembly, present an illuminating analysis of Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony, followed by a blistering account of the work from memory.

****1

“Earth Unwrapped” reveals mixed bag: Aurora Orchestra and BBC Singers

Eleanor Knight, 31st January

The exquisite ensemble of Aurora and BBC Singers in the intimate setting of Kings Place are reason enough to linger longer on earth.

***11

Overtaken by the night: Aurora and Donald Grant get lost on the road

Christopher Woodley, 28th September

At Kings Place Aurora Orchestra and Donald Grant fail to impress with a straggling programme of traditional arrangements, composed pieces and a world premiere.

**111

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Alexander Hall

Alexander Hall divides his time between London and Hamburg, where he had a career in academic administration and teaching. He reviews for Bachtrack and Opera Today, and has also reviewed for Classical Source. A connoisseur of the great orchestras of the world, his musical memories stretch back to Karajan/Berlin Phil, Mravinsky/Leningrad Phil, Bernstein/Vienna Phil, and he has seen most of the great conductors from the past, including Böhm, Klemperer, Kubelik, Ormandy and Szell.