The Academy of St Olave’s has supported Jessie’s Fund on several occasions over the past few years, raising nearly £7,000 for us in total. They have just performed once again for Jessie’s Fund at the exciting new venue of the Creative Centre Theatre at York St John University.
The orchestra’s relationship with Jessie’s Fund is primarily inspired by our mission of helping children to communicate by using the language of music. The fact that Jessie’s father, Alan George, is the Musical Director of the orchestra enhances that connection.
The concert opened with movements from Schubert’s incidental music for Rosamunde. The reviewer wrote: “This is the first time I have heard this pick’n’mix of musical treats, and the performance was a delight: warm and dignified (Ballet music in B minor), humming nobility (Entr’acte in D major), decisive tempo shifts and a lovely delivery of that melody (Entr’acte in Bb) and so forth.
“Then we were suddenly transported to the musical grown-ups’ table with a thrilling performance of Beethoven’s “heroic” Overture Leonore No. 3. This is a truly remarkable work, symphonic in scope and depth. The musical journey from dark to light, despair to hope was compellingly conveyed in this focused, driven performance. The ‘distant’ trumpet call (signalling the liberation of Florestan and Leonore) was very telling.”
You can read Steve Crowther’s full review on the CharlesHutchPress website.
