Sixth in a series of concerts celebrating universal themes, the concert featured Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, celebrating the composer’s centenary year.  It was split into two, to open and close the performance. Between these two parts were no fewer than seven specially commissioned works for voices and harp – how unusual and enterprising!  I don’t suppose I have ever before been to a concert comprising entirely music accompanied by... read more

I had thought at first that last night's poor attendance at pianist Melanie Lina's St.Andrew's recital was the fault of a kind of "Friday night" syndrome. As it transpired, I had singled out Friday most unfairly, because this evening (Saturday) less than half last night's already meagre number turned out to hear pianist Ya-Ting Liou. It's true that neither of  the pianists were "names" to conjure with as far... read more