UK Theatre Network

Inaugural concert for Aylesbury Waterside Theatre’s
new Orchestra in Association Oxford Philomusica

Oxford Philomusica celebrated its appointment as Orchestra in Association at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre with a delightful debut concert on Friday 11th March.  The acclaimed orchestra presented three musical masterpieces:  Rossini’s The Barber of Seville Overture,  Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto and Elgar’s much-loved Enigma Variations.

As part of this special evening, several local schools, including Aylesbury High School, The Mandeville School and Aylesbury Vale Academy took part in a pre-concert workshop, loosely based on the pieces played in the evening concert.  About 30 schoolchildren from Years 7 to 9 attended the final hour of the orchestra’s rehearsal from 5pm to 6pm in the main auditorium, followed by the hands-on workshop from 6.15pm to 7pm in the ‘Second Space’ at the Theatre in front of a VIP audience.  Through such projects the orchestra hopes to encourage young people to understand, enjoy and engage with classical music and develop the audiences of tomorrow.

The main concert opened with a gusto performance of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville Overture.  Next came Mendelssohn’s Violin concerto in E Minor, Op 64, which gave violin soloist Jennifer Pike the chance to excel.  Wearing a red Spanish style dress, Jennifer captivated the audience with her melancholic, dramatic performance as she effortlessly exposed the emotions of the piece and seemed to become one with her instrument.  Jennifer has emerged in recent seasons as one of the most gifted British artists and won the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year award in 2002.

After the High Sherrif of Bucks opened the second Act welcoming the association between the Waterside and the Oxford Philomusica, we were treated to an energetic and exhilarating performance of Edward Elgar’s Variations on an Original Theme for orchestra, Op 36. Popularly known as the Enigma Variations, this is one of the most famous and familiar works of the classical repertoire - particularly the intensely moving 9th Variation, Nimrod.  The work was born out of the composer’s musical improvisations in which he drew a musical portrait of friends for his wife to identify.  Elgar later dedicated it to ‘my friends pictured within’. 

Oxford Philomusica was conducted by its music director and founder, Marios Papadopoulos.  His passion and enthusiasm for the pieces shine through and in the Enigma Variations  I was fascinated to see his head of thick grey hair taking on a life of its own,  almost becoming another instrument!

Oxford Philomusica is a professional symphony orchestra serving the City of Oxford and the wider Thames Valley.  Thanks to its uncompromising artistic standards and consistently fine performances, Oxford Philomusica has rapidly developing a national and international profile.  In addition to a year-round programme of concerts in its home venue of Wren’s beautiful Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford, the orchestra gives regular concerts in London plus regional and overseas tour dates. 

 Since its creation Oxford Philomusica has been firmly committed to education and community work, and this will form a form a significant part of its exciting new collaboration with the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre.

Oxford Philomusica is also keen to support local charities and will be enthusiastically joining the Waterside Theatre in its support of the Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity, as a collection followed the concert.

For more details on the orchestra visit www.oxfordphil.com

Yvonne Delahaye