Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra

Best attended concert in the orchestra’s 22-year history

The reputation of our local symphony orchestra is clearly increasing, as this was perhaps the best attended concert in the orchestra’s 22-year history.

St Peters Church, Newnham, was packed for an interesting selection of mainly Mozart, with some rather lovely Elgar melodies as an introduction. The two Elgar ‘Chansons’, de matin and de nuit, sympathetically conducted by Jack Lovell, made a flowing and lyrical start to the evening. Jack Lovell has now clearly stepped out of the great shadow of his illustrious predecessor, Thomas Payne, to stamp his own personality on the orchestra.

Thomas was flamboyant, exuberant and expressive; Jack is more understated, precise, cerebral and fluid, a combination of attributes that works well with an orchestra which is always seeking to extend its repertoire and seek new challenges.

The first Mozart piece was a bassoon concerto with guest soloist Richard Tatton, another alumnus of the Birmingham Conservatoire, which has had a long and productive artistic connection with the Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra. A succession of fine soloists has
provided some great musical occasions over the years, and the orchestra provides support for
these distinguished guests.

The second Mozart piece, the finale, his 40th symphony, a thrilling and profound symphony,
was given full value by the musicians.

I’m already looking forward to the next concert, on July 4 at Newland Church, with Smetana
making his first appearance with the orchestra, another brilliant soloist performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, and Dvorak’s New World.

Dave Kent – the forester (16th April 2015).

Review of Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra concert on Sat 30^th Nov 2013

A large and appreciative audience enjoyed last Saturday’s concert by The Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra at Coleford Baptist Church. This second concert of their 20^th anniversary season saw a departure from their normal repertoire, as they performed the overtures and semi staged scenes from 3 Mozart operas – The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi fan Tutte and Don Giovanni. Joining them were 11 talented young singers from Birmingham Conservatoire. Although the orchestra are used to accompanying individual instrumentalists in the performances of concertos, accompanying singers is, as one member of the orchestra put it, “a very different experience, requiring extreme concentration.”

Ably led by Ros Taunton, the orchestra and singers were skilfully and enthusiastically directed by the orchestra’s regular conductor Thomas Payne. The overtures had an appropriately lively and spirited character and the ensemble was generally tight in the accompaniments, though it was sometimes too loud for voices which have not yet developed their full power. The young soloists singing and acting were impressive, conveying the humour and drama of the scenes. Members of the audience who obviously understood the original Italian lyrics were particularly appreciative.

There was a retiring collection for Great Oaks Hospice; the hospice’s founder spoke about its work during the interval.

The orchestra’s next concert is on 29^th March 2014 at Newnham Church. The programme will be Smetana’s ‘Vltava,’ Brahms’s violin concerto with soloist Simon Smith and Dvorak’s 6^th Symphony. For further details please visit www.rfdo.org.uk

By Rosemary Griffiths

The Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra is delighted to announce details of its forthcoming spring concert on Saturday 16^th March at Newnham Church. The orchestra will once again be under the musical direction of its energetic young conductor, Thomas Payne, who studied violin and conducting at the Birmingham Conservatoire and will perform Sibelius’s Valse Triste and the Roccoco Variations for Cello and Orchestra during the first half.

The soloist is renowned young cellist, Robert Kurnatowski. As a member of the Bantock Quartet, Robert is currently a Junior Fellow at Birmingham Conservatoire. Initially training as a physicist, Robert was a Music Scholar at the University of Birmingham and graduated in 2010 with a first class honours degree in Physics. He continued his cello studies with Lionel Handy at Birmingham Conservatoire, graduating
in 2012 with distinction on the Master’s programme. During his studies at Birmingham Conservatoire, Robert won places on both the Birmingham Royal Ballet and C.B.S.O. training schemes, and was winner of the Sylvia Cleaver Chamber Music Prize and Derek Young Memorial Award. He was also winner of the strings category of the Symphony Hall Prize, and finalist in the Conservatoire’s Strings Prize, the Delius Prize and the Ambache Prize. In 2012, Robert was invited to perform in the final of the prestigious Muriel Taylor Scholarship competition, and is looking to forward to performing in this year’s final at the end of March 2013. Robert is continuing to study with
Lionel Handy and Richard Lester.

Following the interval the second half will entirely devoted to a performance of Mendelssohn’s third symphony, ‘The Scottish’.

Thomas Payne currently holds the position of Musical Director at both the Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra and The Ludlow Orchestra. He is also Principal Conductor of Asklepios Orchestra and Birmingham Conservatoire Student Symphony Orchestra. From 2009-2012 he was Associate Musical Director of Birmingham Concert Orchestra and Principal Conductor for the City of Derby Youth Orchestra.
Since graduating from Birmingham Conservatoire in 2011 he has conducted a number of ensembles including Milton Keynes City Orchestra, Dartington Festival Orchestra, CBSO Youth Orchestra, Bedworth Symphony Orchestra and Birmingham Conservatoire Composer’s Ensemble. Thomas has also been a regular guest with Charnwood Orchestra, Wyre Forest Symphony Orchestra and Birmingham University Symphony Orchestra. This year he will make his debut with Hereford String Orchestra and Leamington Chamber Orchestra.
Thomas has recently been working with vocal students from Birmingham Conservatoire, conducting the world premier of James Oldham’s ‘Off the Beaten Track’ with Waste Paper Opera at the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham. Thomas has also worked with students on scenes from Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tutte, Die Zauerflote, Zaide, La Finta Giardiniera and Carmen. In February 2013 he conducted a semi-staged performance of scenes from Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes, The Rape of Lucretia, The Turn of the Screw, Owen Wingrave, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Albert Herring at the Adrian Boult Hall.

Thomas has been studying privately with Philip Ellis since 2009 and has participated in masterclasses with Sian Edwards, Steuart Bedford, John Carewe and Michael Seal.

The orchestra is led as usual by distinguished local performer and teacher, Ros Taunton. The concert will start at 7.30pm and tickets are available at the door, £8/£5 concessions with all school children getting in for free, so long as they are accompanied by an adult. The orchestra now has a fully updated website and a facebook page where further details about the orchestra and recruitment can be found.For any further info about the orchestra please contact The Chairperson on 01594 510604.

Pictured below, Robert Kurnatowski.