First Percussion Concert a Brilliant Success
Such glorious originality, variety, and coiled enthusiasm – I say ‘coiled’ because for me there is at once something constrained and something utterly liberated about percussion. The act of striking; the delicacy of caress. It makes for a fascinating repertoire full of surprise, humour, shade and colour. Yet above all it takes immense skill and no little courage – there is no hiding one’s contribution: everyone is a soloist within the ensemble, every blow owning its distinctive place in the whole.
I have no idea what many of the instruments are properly called (even Mr Milton suggested he has little idea how some are assembled); but then when hand and thigh, whistling lips and reddening palms are added to the orchestration, why should one worry about not being sure how a marimba differs from a … one of the other ones?
Because, really, one is already swept along in the beat, captivated by the rhythm, and entranced by the ebb and flow of sound. Yes, this was a magical evening delivered by a very proud Mrs Seed and her quintet of wonderfully talented pupils. And, unusual though it is for me to pick out one in particular, I must mention Jonathan who was at the heart of the action throughout, but most of all was the truly astonishing soloist for Gitano. Miraculous.
Our thanks to all the performers for a brilliant evening’s entertainment.
