"Beccles' music in a healthy state..."
Beccles Chamber Orchestra
St. Michael's Church
Beccles
"Beccles Chamber Orchestra has held a number of successful concerts at St. Michael's in aid of the Church Restoration Fund and last Saturday's was surely one of these.
Their programme, expertly conducted by John Nicholson, commenced with Purcell's delightful Choral ode "Come ye Sons of Art", an English Baroque work written in 1694 for Queen Mary's birthday.
Joined by a group of local singers, the strings and woodwind were enhanced by a trumpet and a cembalo skillfully played by Helen Blake. Together they produced a feast of sound to entertain the large, attentive audience.
The fine sustained singing of Sarah Hobbs was just one noteable feature, the flute of Debbie Rogers another.
An early symphony by Haydn, which followed, was the only classical work in this concert. The high standard of playing we have come to expect from this orchestra was much in evidence here.
After the interval, three well-known Baroque concerti grossi, two Italian and one German, were played in turn. Albinoni's Trumpet Concerto in D minor began at an exhilarating pace, the ravishing string tone reminiscent of I Musici.
Contrast with the rhythmic vitality of the outer movements was provoded beautifully phrased and sensitive performance of the Adagio by distinguished trumpet soloist Ray Simmons.
Four talented violin soloists provided the "concertino" for the Vivaldi, combined with the the "ripieno" instruments in a sparkling performance.
The evening concluded with a polished performance of Bach's 4th Brandenburg Concerto in which Stephen Blake played the virtuoso violin part with Elizabeth Page and Ellen Foster on recorders.
Altogether this concert confirmed the healthy state of music making in Beccles and justified optimism for its future."

Simon Braken
Beccles and Bungay Journal, June 5th 2003

"Concert would be the envy of all..."
Tchaikovsky Night
Beccles Chamber Orchestra
St. Michael's Church
Beccles
"St. Michaels was the setting for Beccles Chamber Orchestra and friends to perform a concert, exciting in musical content and of a quality which would be envied by larger towns.
An all-Tchaikovsky programme began with the Fantasy Overture: Romeo and Juliette. The introduction and wonderfully tragic-romantic second theme gave fair warning of the strength and warmth of the brass and percussion departments and reminded us of John Nicholsons control and authority as conductor.
The evening's soloist, soprano Vetta Wise, sang the Letter Scene from Eugene Onegin with a lovely purity and sensitivity and the balance between soloist and orchestra was beautifully maintained.
After the interval we were treated to eight charming, Oriental, delightful and magical pieces of the Nutcracker Suite. Always a pleasure to hear and particularly enjoyed this evening in St. Michael's where the acoustics gave a special clarity.
The orchestra sent the audience home in triumphant mood with a rousing performance of the 1812 Overture; all canons firing, bells ringing and the Russian National Anthem winning out to Marseilles in a glorious conclusion to another highly successful musical evening for Beccles."

Mike Scanlon
Beccles and Bungay Journal, April 4th 2003

"Majestic music - but fun too..."
Beccles Chamber Orchestra
Concert in aid of St. Michael's Church
"A Near capacity audience heard Beccles Chamber Orchestra and friends give a concert on Saturday evening in aid of the church restoration fund.
Regular followers of the orchestra were not surprised by the quality and depth of playing in Rossini's William Tell Overture which opened the evening.
The well-known romp which ends the piece was enough to set feet tapping and yet was always under conductor John Nicholson's superb and positive control.
Mezzo-soprano Diane Moore, fresh from her triumph at the Proms, had all entranced with her beautiful and seemingly sffortless interpretation of Berlioz Les Nuits d'Ete, mixing joy and gladness, sorrow and sadness to perfection.
Even by Beccles standards the ovation she received and deserved was enormously enthusiastic.
The second part of the concert consisted of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, tragedy and hope brought gloriously alive under the sure hand of Mr Nicholson. A performance of truly majestic proportions.
Stephen Blake, the orchestra leader and, I believe, founder, deserves the highest possible praise for gathering such a talented group of players together and for his work in producing these marvellous evenings.
Beccles is a much richer place because of his effort."

Michael Scanlon
Beccles and Bungay Journal, November 1st 2002

© 2003 - 2005 Beccles Chamber Orchestra The Byre, Hulver Road, Ellough, Beccles, Suffolk, NR34 7XF T: 01502 475196