Returning to New Normal
Having had all our 2020 and most of our 2021 live events cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic we moved online as far as possible for our performance, education and community projects. A collaboration with Revoluton Arts resulted in a series of online concerts from our wonderful musicians. These Ranged from double bass and harpsichord solos to duets for bassoon and trombone, two flutes, two cellos, two violins, two singers, and instruments from around the world, especially the Indian Subcontinent. Audiences were able to get up close to the instruments of the orchestra through hearing our musicians performing live from their homes. (See posts below)
During the Pandemic another new project also took shape – the BeatBox Nursery Rhyme project with Beat Boxer Oz Azubuine and the Bedford based Fusion Youth Choir, generously funded by Arts Council England. We recently recorded our first album together, due to be released shortly!
Our Music in the Museum Season at Wardown House resumed this year with wonderful performances from Elizabeth Green (Harp) Sebastian Comberti and Sarah Butcher (Cellos) and finishing with a performance of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in a version for Chamber Ensemble with Enrico Alvares as soloist.
It is also wonderful to see choral performances resuming in St Albans Cathedral – we celebrated the first relatively normal Christmas with Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with St Albans Bach Choir and a stellar line up of soloists (including Helen Charlston who cheered so many of our audience up during our online series throughout lockdown) and look forward to Bach’s St John Passion again in St Albans Cathedral on April 2nd and - a complete contrast, BeatBox Live! - on April 10th at the University of Bedfordshire.
Education projects with Luton Schools and our recently completed collaboration with Luton Roma Trust moved between on and offline sessions as needed. As part of these wonderful projects, Roma Young people composed music that was then performed by the orchestra – they also joined the orchestra for their performances – see our youngest composer-performer in the video below!
