Alison Bellerby
Author's posts
Oh those Russians…
Pianist Alissa Firsova and the St Albans Symphony Orchestra received further critical praise from critic John Manning for their New Year 2015 performance of Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini: “Although Alissa Firsova has spent most of her life in St Albans the influence and passion of composers from her native Russia is clear …
SASO raises more than £1,370 for charities
St Albans Symphony Orchestra collected more than £1,370 for charities over the Christmas and New Year period thanks to generosity of its audiences – and festive shoppers in the city centre. Before Christmas, the orchestra’s brass section, with friends from other bands, raised £488 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society by playing carols at the Clock …
SASO serves-up a winter warmer for New Year
Sleigh bells will jingle all the way when St Albans Symphony Orchestra bid a snowy welcome to 2015 at their traditional New Year Family Concert (7pm, Thursday January 1st, St Albans Abbey). The programme features no less than four musical sleigh rides, variously composed by Leopold Mozart (father of Wolfgang Amadeus), Serge Prokofiev, Frederick Delius …
Reviewer hails “dazzling” Korngold at SASO’s autumn concert
John Manning, reviewer for the Herts Advertiser, found the performance of Korngold’s Violin Concerto by 25-year old virtuoso Adelia Myslov with SASO “dazzling”, “fluent” and “full of expression” bringing tremendous life to an increasingly popular work. He also praised the “tremendous colour and depth” of SASO’s account of Sibelius’s Symphony No 1 under conductor, Bjorn …
Russian violinist expands her repertoire with concerto
John Manning, music critic of the Herts Advertiser, was “dazzled” by the Korngold Violin Concerto at SASO’s autumn concert Although only 25, Russian-born violinist Adelia Myslov already has a substantial repertoire. But on Saturday she added one more exciting work.For her appearance with the St Albans Symphony Orchestra at St Saviour’s Church saw her first …
Rising stars to shine at SASO’s autumn concert
An acclaimed young violin virtuoso takes centre stage at St Albans Symphony’s Orchestra’s autumn concert on Saturday 22nd November playing a concerto that is itself a rising star of the music world (7.30pm, St Saviour’s Church, Sandpit Lane, St Albans, AL1 4DF). Adelia Myslov (25), a former student at Hertfordshire’s Purcell School for young musicians, will perform …
Monster mayhem and mystery at SASO children’s concerts
Little monsters are invited to put on their best fancy dress and indulge in a spot of musical mayhem on Sunday October 12th at one of St Albans Symphony Orchestra’s popular annual concerts for children (2pm & 3.30pm, St Saviour’s Church, Sandpit Lane, St Albans). Children are, as usual, invited to dress up as their …
"…it was generally impossible to tell that it wasn’t a fully-professional orchestra…"
Critic Jim Pritchard, writing for the ‘Seen and Heard International’ website, was bowled over by the concert performance of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg in Saffron Walden on September 14th – including SASO’s impressive playing. “This was the first – and what a first – in a proposed series of operas in full concert performance in Saffron Walden …
Kieran McGuirk 1949-2014
With great sadness, St Albans Symphony Orchestra (SASO) records the death of its chair, Kieran McGuirk, aged 65. An accomplished musician, Kieran not only played violin with SASO for more than a decade, but also performed regularly with the Hertfordshire Philharmonia. As a singer, he was a valued member of both the St Albans Chamber …
"Rarely can I remember being so excited and…so emotionally drained"
Herts Advertiser critic John Manning was bowled over by Alissa Firsova’s thrilling performance of Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto Rarely can I remember being so excited and at the same time so emotionally drained as I did on Saturday evening after Alissa Firsova’s remarkable performance of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 3. This massive work is considered …
