St Albans Symphony Orchestra » New Year Concert review: “Throughout the evening the orchestra performed outstandingly.”

New Year Concert review: “Throughout the evening the orchestra performed outstandingly.”

10th January 2019

“It wouldn’t be New Year’s Day in St Albans without the annual concert at St Albans Abbey provided by the city’s symphony orchestra,” says critic John Manning, writing in the Herts Advertiser (10/1/19) “For hundreds of people it is a much-loved annual event that brings an extra sparkle and evening of fun to the first …

SASO performs ‘outstandingly’ at its New Years Day concert

10th January 2019

John Manning reviewed SASO’s New Years Day ‘Strictly Dancing and Mostly Movies’ concert for the Herts Advertiser. It wouldn’t be New Year’s Day in St Albans without the annual concert at St Albans Abbey provided by the city’s symphony orchestra. For hundreds of people it is a much-loved annual event that brings an extra sparkle …

Delightful dances and marvellous movie music: SASO’s New Year Concert has something for everyone!

10th December 2018

Is your idea of a perfect New Year celebration strictly dancing? Or how about an evening enjoying classic movies? Better still, you can join St Albans Symphony Orchestra in the city’s Cathedral on January 1st 2019 (7pm) for a concert of music that offers the best of both worlds! Under Principal Conductor, Tom Hammond, the …

“…the result was a triumph.”

11th November 2018

John Manning at the Herts Advertiser can rarely remember a better performance by SASO than our Shostakovich and Arnold on October 13 It takes great confidence for an amateur orchestra to take on the sort of challenging programme that the St Albans Symphony Orchestra performed on Saturday. Shostakovich’s wonderful Cello Concerto No 1 and his …

Yo, ho, ho, oh no! Our pirate-themed children’s concerts are sold out

11th November 2018

Shiver me timbers! Record demand for St Albans Symphony Orchestra’s Pirates Aaarh-hoy! concerts for children on the afternoon of Sunday November 18th means they are both sold out. The fancy dress concerts in St Saviour’s Church this year feature family-friendly classics that include Wagner’s Flying Dutchman Overture and the famous Sailor’s Hornpipe played at …

SASO welcomes multi-talented Matthew Sharp as ‘cello soloist

29th September 2018

‘Cello soloist Matthew Sharp, who performs with St Albans Symphony Orchestra (SASO) on Saturday October 13, is also an internationally successful singer, actor and director. (7.30pm St Saviour’s Church, Sandpit Lane, AL1 4DF) He has not only appeared as an instrumental soloist with London’s leading orchestras, but also sung principal baritone roles with Opera North …

New SASO season celebrates the life-enhancing power of music

9th September 2018

From enduring hope in dark times to the exuberant enjoyment of living, a new season of concerts from St Albans Symphony Orchestra (SASO) celebrates the power of music to portray and enhance contrasting aspects of human experience. The grim realities of life in Stalin’s Russia are prominent in the opening concert on Saturday 13 October …

Calling string players: play wonderful Walton with SASO! (workshop evening August 31 & daytime September 1)

3rd August 2018

External string players are warmly invited to take part in a two-day workshop with St Albans Symphony Orchestra to prepare and perform Walton’s dazzling and technically demanding First Symphony. The workshop starts with a Friday evening play-through on 31 August. Sectional tutorials led by professional instrumentalists will take place on the morning of Saturday 1 …

“The whole performance gripped the audience…”

3rd July 2018

John Manning, music critic of the Herts Advertiser, was delighted by SASO’s all-Sibelius concert on June 23 – not least the superb playing of violin soloist David le Page. He declares that “every moment was a thrill” in le Page’s interpretation of the Violin Concerto. But he adds that the whole concert performance, conducted by …

“…every moment was a thrill.”

3rd July 2018

Herts Advertiser music critic John Manning says SASO’s whole performance in an all-Sibelius programme on June 23rd was gripping Saturday’s all Sibelius programme presented by the St Albans Symphony Orchestra under its conductor Tom Hammond had all the makings of a rare treat. And treat it was for the orchestra excelled with an evening of …

Simon Allen

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