The National Children's under 13 Orchestra

Leeds Town Hall

Saturday 19th August 2017

120 talented young musicians from across the UK make up this phenomenal orchestra - one of six National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain. What has happily become the Under 13s' annual summer concert in Leeds Town Hall is the climax to an intensive residential course proudly hosted by Sedbergh School.

George Gershwin's toe-tapping Overture, Strike up the Band, was played with tremendous rhythmic energy by stand-out brass, woodwind and percussion. The brooding opening to Rachmaninov's symphonic poem The Rock, showcased the huge string section underpinned by eight double basses and fourteen cellos. As the mood lightened, brushstrokes of delicate colouring from the woodwind contributed to an atmospheric performance of a neglected work.

The Neighbours' Dance, Miller's Dance and Final Dance from Manuel de Falla's The Three Cornered Hat concluded the first half. Falla's vivacious and sultry Andalusian folk music idioms were realised with a palpable sense of enjoyment by the Under 13 Orchestra, conducted by Dominic Wheeler.

The turbulent Prelude to Richard Strauss's opera Der Rosenkavalier is embellished by fruity "whooping" notes from the French horns. The Under 13 Orchestra's opulent performance of Artur Rodinsky's 20 minutes-long suite from the opera belied the tender age of these musicians. It was a shame that Dominic Wheeler's uncompromisingly fast tempi deprived the Act 2 Waltzes and the exquisite Act 3 Trio of their emotional power.

Malcolm Arnold composed his spoof Grand, Grand Overture for a 1956 Hoffnung Festival concert. The dense orchestration includes the glissandi sounds of a 'hoover' quartet. In this performance three Little Henry vacuum cleaners and a floor polisher were operated by members of the orchestra. A brilliant performance by the Under 13s and a spectacular conclusion to a memorable concert.

Geoffrey Mogridge