Starting 2014 with Handel’s “Messiah”

On the 2nd of January I was lucky enough to see Handel’s “Messiah” performed in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Unlike the last concert I was at, the RSNO Chorus were present, and the orchestra was smaller. There was a harpsichord and a chamber organ, which were particularly interesting for me as I learned about these instruments in school, but have never seen them in the flesh until now. The oratorio is a term that is taught in music classes but it’s certainly different seeing it performed live than hearing excerpts from it played on a CD player. It’s actually amazing how many pieces of classical music you recognise from music exams!  I’m a lover of Baroque music and my favourite composer is Handel, so this performance was especially enjoyable!

Composed by George Frederic Handel in 1741, the famous oratorio features recits and arias, choruses, including the Hallelujah Chorus, and a very brief pastoral symphony. The “Messiah” was conducted by Jonathan Cohen, who is described as one of “Britain’s finest young musicians”. The arias were performed by four soloists: a soprano (Lydia Teuscher), a countertenor (Tim Mead), a tenor (Benjamin Hulett), and a bass-baritone (Neal Davies). As a singer myself, Lydia’s solos and duet with countertenor Tim Mead were particularly enjoyable. I find performing songs from the classical repertoire to be both challenging and rewarding, and watching a professional soprano has inspired me to continue learning these types of songs. The RSNO Chorus has given me an idea of where I can continue singing as a member of a choir after I leave school. I’ve been a member of Beath’s Junior and Senior Choirs and enjoy singing as part of a group as much as I enjoy singing by myself.

The performance was uplifting and thoroughly enjoyable, and I’m certain that many people left feeling that. It was a wonderful way to start the new year!

Lugansky Plays ‘The Emperor’

On Saturday the 23^rd of November it was the first chance for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Young Ambassadors to meet and attend the first concert. The Ambassadors come from all over Scotland but all share the same passion: classical music. The concert was “Lugansky Plays the Emperor” which was conducted by Peter Oundjian and featured the RSNO along with Nikolai Lugansky, a renowned pianist.

After arriving, myself and the other Ambassadors were taken into the concert hall for a hurried photo opportunity. At that point in time the orchestra were warming up and running over the material for the night ahead. It was almost dizzying to look down and see the cluster of people and instruments so far below us.

Once the photo shoot was over we returned to the VIP lounge where we had the opportunity to introduce ourselves and have a small discussion about RSNO Schools Concerts. After stating our name, school, what instrument/s we play, and what part of Scotland we were from we split into small groups to gather ideas. The discussion was a great success and it was interesting to see so many different ideas being presented, showing just how much of an input young people can have in classical music!

When the time came to watch the concert I was particularly excited. I enjoy listening to piano music and watching live performances is always so different to simply hearing it or watching it through a screen. The conductor, Peter Oundjian, was interesting and informative when introducing the musical pieces, but was also brief. The show commenced with a lively piece of music by French composer Marais before Lugansky took to the keys to perform Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto. The time flew by and before I knew it, the second half had begun. It featured a set of Symphonic Dances by the Russian composer, Rachmaninov, and finished with another dance, this time by Brahms.

The evening was very enjoyable and I’m eagerly awaiting the next concert. There’s nothing quite like seeing classical music, or any music for that matter, performed live. Hopefully more people decide to head along to a concert and discover this from themselves!