A firecracker of a concert. (Review by Keith Millar)
The KwaZulu-Natal Youth Orchestra called their joint concert
with the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra at Durban High School on Friday evening a Classical Blast!
Which is exactly what it was. An absolute blast.
The fireworks started with a jubilant performance by the
astonishingly talented young people of the KZN Youth Orchestra. They provided a
mixed bag of musical treats with everything from a little bit of light classic
to some jazz and Latin and with some rock thrown in for good measure. It was a
sparkling performance.
The youthful musicians of this orchestra range in ages from
12 and 20 (the current average age is 15) and they come from all over KZN. They
rehearse just once a week, on Friday afternoons, at DHS Music Centre.
Taking this into account, one has got say that the quality
of their playing is quite admirable. They are a credit to their team of
excellent tutors under the leadership of Lykele Temmingh. The public of KZN can
be justifiably proud of this musical treasure.
Next to join the festivities was the splendid KZNPO. Dressed
in their casual cloths (denim jeans abounded) they were obviously in the mood
for fun as they performed a selection of well-loved party pieces, such as The March of the Toreadors from Bizet’s Carmen, The Waltz from Masquerade by Khachaturian, and
Rossini’s William Tell Overture.
The orchestra was then joined by popular and experienced
jazz singer, Natalie Rungan, who is the director of the DHS Music Centre. She
sang three popular songs. - I’ve Got You
Under Skin, One Moment in Time, and New
York New York. Unfortunately, a sub-standard sound system did not do
Natalie justice and we did not hear at her best.
The cherry on top for the evening was the joining of the two
orchestras, the first time they have played together in a decade. This resulted
in over 100 musicians on stage in rousing performance of music from
Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and the
dramatic Stars Wars Theme. Excellent
entertainment.
Conducting duties for the evening were shared by Lykele
Temmingh, who is the resident conductor of the KZNPO and the force behind the
KZN Youth Orchestra, and visiting conductor from Trinidad, Kwamé Ryan.
This may not have been a concert for the connoisseurs but as
a community project to take good music to the people it more than served its
purpose. It was a firecracker of a concert. – Keith Millar
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