 |
 |
|
 |
||
|
CYM at Spitalfields Festival
Simon Bainbridge (pictured below) & Francesca Hanley project co-ordinators This was an inspiring evening of our still new century's children's music-making, created under the forward-looking supervision of the London Centres for Young Musicians. It also brought out a salutary lesson! A substantial 25-minutes work by Philip Cashian had enticed me to the gleaming white, newly refurbished interior of Hawksmoor's great Christ Church. That proved too ambitious and was a resounding failure in a nearly great concert; dour and overlong, little helped by a promising scenario about Apollo Space Missions. The lengthy text of Moon Tales did not inspire music to match and the words, whether spoken or sung, carried little audibility or conviction. The large orchestra (enlivened by adult percussionists) had little to offer or to grab the young players' interest.
Very young recorder players helped Joseph Atkins to concoct Dowland Diffused, variants on the Lachrimae melody which they will recognise when they come across the original, or Britten's reworking of it. Their control and intonation were remarkable. A clarinet ensemble was engaged by Bob Broadley's Extended play on his currently favourite pop album and developed real chamber music skills learning the three little pieces. A full church, with a real buzz of excitement; parents and friends enjoyed it all as much as the proud musicians.
See also the CYM website Later this week: Jonathan Dove On Spital Fields World premiere 22-23 June |
The younger groups from CYM Main Centre at Morley College had a different story to tell. Simon Bainbridge's student composers from Royal Academy of Music had fashioned short pieces that were ideally matched to the performers' levels, and each in its way was a triumphant little experience for players and listeners alike.