Woking Symphony Orchestra showed their worth at their latest concert last Saturday (November 17th 2012). As the programme was one which had wide appeal, there was something for everyone in a lesser-known suite of great beauty by Sibelius (King Christian II), the emotional Rachmaninov 3rd Piano Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s rousing and energetic 2nd Symphony – the “Little Russian”.
The orchestra was on top form and gave an intense and fervent performance of the Sibelius, with the strings tackling the signature rushing passages with enthusiasm and effectiveness and with the brass and wind sections fulfilling their obligations admirably.
The soloist in the Rachmaninov (a Concerto notorious for its supreme difficulty) was Yuri Paterson-Olenich, whose firm and impassioned touch and sparkling finger-work resulted in an impressive and emotionally-charged interpretation of this work, sensitively supported by the orchestra.
The second half of the concert was devoted to the Symphony – again, not an easy piece and one that demanded great things from all sections of the orchestra, which were delivered with style and panache. Not for the first time Woking Symphony Orchestra, under the expert guidance of conductor, Roy Stratford, has risen to the challenge of performing difficult works successfully and this concert was one of their best to date.
--- Susan Bennett
