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Autumn 2012 Rehearsal Schedule

by rob

Categories: Rehearsal Schedules

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Published on: August 23, 2012

Date 1^st Half 2^nd Half

Sept 13^thBeethoven 1^st+2^nd mvts Beethoven 3^rd+4^th mvts (+Cosi )

20^th Beethoven 1^st mvt Beethoven 1^st mvt

27^th Beethoven 2^nd+3^rd mvts Beethoven 2^nd+3^rd mvts

Oct 4^th Beethoven 4^th mvt sec Beethoven 4^th mvt full

11^th Beethoven full run

18^th Haydn (with Rory) Cosi full

25^th Half Term

Nov 1^st Beethoven 1^st mvt Beethoven 2^nd mvt

8^th Beethoven 3^rd mvt Beethoven 4^th mvt

15^th Cosi full TBC

22^nd Haydn +soloist Beethoven full

29^th Programme run

Dec 1^st Concert

Concert Review: Summer 2012

by rob

Categories: Press Releases

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Published on: July 6, 2012

ROYAL FOREST OF DEAN ORCHESTRA: CONCERT AT NEWLAND CHURCH

Saturday 30^th June 2012

The Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra were in unfamiliar territory, musically speaking, last Saturday, exploring the complexities of late romantic European music. Two new composers entered their repertoire, Sibelius and Max Bruch, and this was a brave step into the unknown by the Orchestra under their dynamic and enterprising Musical Director Thomas Payne.

The concert was held in the great medieval Forest Cathedral at Newland, with its fine acoustics and grand setting. Sibelius started and finished the programme, with his symphonic poem ‘Finlandia’ and his Third Symphony, with Bruch’s Violin Concerto in the middle.

Finlandia was a powerful start for the evening. It is a dramatic patriotic piece celebrating the Finnish people’s struggle to assert their identity against their great neighbours the Russians, and the orchestra captured the turbulence of the age and then the calm confidence of the new country.

Bruch’s Violin Concerto was, coincidentally, played on Classic FM earlier that day. Philippe Quint, the Russian-American virtuoso was the soloist on the radio recording, and I have to say that the performance of Elin White, the RFODO soloist who reprised the concerto in the evening was as good. Her command of the richly lyrical, powerful, sweeping, and fiendishly difficult concerto was complete, and she is yet another gifted young Gloucestershire musician to partner the orchestra.

Sibelius’ Third is not particularly known, and presents technical difficulties that may well have deterred a less confident and ambitious conductor than Thomas Payne. But it was a well chosen and well performed piece, celebrating in the romantic way the triumph of lightness over darkness, all to the accompaniment of insistent cello pizzicato. I hope that the cellists’ fingers were not completely torn to shreds.

The Orchestra’s mastery of this unfamiliar territory clearly brought them great shock and delight at the end of the performance. ‘Yes we can!’. They are approaching their 20^thanniversary, and their journey from their uncertain start all those years ago to becoming an established regional orchestra has been a pleasure to observe. It’s all down to the partnership between the musical director and the orchestra. Their inspiring conductor coaxes, urges, encourages, and above all trusts the orchestra. The orchestra, led into dangerous territory, overcomes its doubts and difficulties.

It’s back to Beethoven for the next concert on 1^st December, and I hope a programme of inspiring music for their anniversary year in 2013.

Dave Kent

2012 Summer Concert: 30th June

by rob

Categories: Concerts

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Published on: May 28, 2012

Date: 30th June 2012 at 7:30pm

Venue: Newland Church

Featuring:

Sibelius Finlandia

Bruch’s Violin Concerto in G minor

Sibelius Symphony No. 3

Conductor: Thomas Payne

Soloist: Elin White of Gloucester

Leader: Rosalind Taunton

Car Share: If you would like to be put in touch with other audience members from your area please contact: carshare@rfdo.org.uk

Elin White (Violinist)

by rob

Categories: Guests and Soloists

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Published on: May 22, 2012

Elin grew up in Gloucestershire where she was actively involved in the music service, playing with many ensembles and leading the county and South West youth orchestras. She has performed with many orchestras including the English Symphony Orchestra, Dartington Festival Orchestra, the Croft Orchestra and the Clic Sargent Symphony Orchestra in prestigious venues such as Queen Elizabeth Hall, Cadogan Hall, St John’s, Smith Square, Birmingham Symphony Hall and the Sage at Gateshead. Her quartet has taken part in many national and international chamber music courses, and has played in concerts alongside the Carducci Quartet. As a soloist she has appeared with the Thornbury Orchestra, the Asklepios Orchestra, Gloucester Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Concert Orchestra and the Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra. This is her debut with the Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra. She is currently in her third year at the Royal College of Music, studying with Dona Lee Croft and Kathron Sturrock. She remains grateful for the ongoing support of the North Nibley Arts Bursary.

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Important Dates

Saturday 14th December 2024. Winter concert – St Peter’s Church, Newnham. “Northern Lights”. Music by Sibelius and Rautavaara and three world premiere compositions.

Saturday 12th April 2025. Spring Concert – St Peter’s Church, Newnham. Music by Skempton, Ravel, Dvorak

Saturday 5th July 2025. Summer Concert – St Mary’s Priory Church, Chepstow.

Saturday 13th December 2025. Christmas and Winter Concert – Coleford Baptist Church.

Saturday 4th July 2026. Carmen at St, Mary’s Church Chepstow. Soloists from RWCMD and new libretto by Euan Tait.

Welcome , today is Monday, November 25, 2024