Ulster Youth Orchestra marks its quarter-century

By Leighton Jones, 26 August 2018

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Reviewed at Ulster Hall, Belfast on 25 August 2018

Bernstein, Candide: Overture

Debussy, Première Rhapsodie

Gershwin, An American in Paris

Molloy, Ogham

Harty, The Children of Lir

William Curran, Clarinet

Aoife Miskelly, Soprano

Ulster Youth Orchestra

Courtney Lewis, Conductor

Ulster Youth Orchestra alumni celebrate their founding

Leighton Jones, 29th December

Honouring a quarter-century since their creation, alumni from the orchestra united to give a very special anniversary commemorative concert filled with musical fellowship and pride.

****1

Prom 28: Ulster Orchestras with Sir James Galway and JoAnn Faletta

Edward Whitney, 4th August

It is a cliché in music commentary to say that youth orchestras bring vitality, fearlessness and chutzpah to the programmes that they play. But as with most clichés, it does appear to be based in truth, and that is perhaps one reason why the BBC Proms continue to give such support to young players as well as young composers.

***11

Coleridge-Taylor’s bloodless passion at the Three Choirs Festival

Simon Cummings, 31st July

Though musically flawed, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s choral work The Atonement is given a superb performance at the Three Choirs Festival in Hereford Cathedral.

**111

Theatrically poverty-stricken: ETO's Blond Eckbert

Mark Valencia, 18th October

Judith Weir's cryptic folk opera lacks the narrative propulsion necessary to enthral an audience, and without resolution there is no catharsis.

**111

Don't look back: Longborough's new L'Orfeo

Roy Westbrook, 11th July

Olivia Fuchs directs Monteverdi's early opera in a sparse staging with a consistently fine cast.

***11

Baroque thrills: Vivaldi's Bajazet comes to Covent Garden

Kevin W Ng, 4th February

In its Royal Opera House debut, Irish National Opera's high-energy Bajazet provides a great evening for Baroque fans and sceptics alike.

****1

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Leighton Jones

Leighton has extensive teaching experience from early years to postgraduate level music. Currently he works as a primary music specialist, visiting instrumental teacher and examiner. As a pianist, he was inspired to play after hearing Moura Lympany at a young age and has a large collection of her recordings. Leighton’s postgraduate studies focussed on his interest in 20th-century English orchestral music, with particular study of Britten, Rawsthorne, Walton and Vaughan Williams. A keen choral singer he has developed a comprehensive knowledge of chiefly British choral music.