Reid School of Music Students: Lunchtime Concert
Reid Hall - 22/11/22
One of the joys of Edinburgh’s musical life are the free lunchtime concerts on Tuesdays and occasionally Friday put on by the University of Edinburgh in its excellent Reid concert hall. The pandemic sadly put an end to these for three years, but this autumn they are slowly being resumed. Today we are hearing a concert from some of the music students. This sometimes throws up stars of the future, like a young Louise Alder whom I spotted some years ago. Louise went on to win the World Audience Prize at the Cardiff Singer of the World contest in 2017 and is now an international star. There was also Amy Strachan, who won the student award 10 years ago and is now building her career.
Today’s concert began with Erin Wharton, a 20 year old Scottish soprano accompanied on piano by Sally Proudman, a third year English music student. Erin began by singing Despina’s aria ‘Una Donna a quindici anni” from Mozart’s ‘Cosi Fan Tutti’. Erin’s bright light voice perfectly suited this aria and she was skilfully accompanied by Sally. Her second song was ‘Chanson Triste’: by Duparc and Erin showed a wider range of voice here although of course at only 20 her voice will mature over the next few years. Her third song was ‘Love’s Philosophy’ by Roger Quilter, based on lyrics by Shelley and again it gave her voice a little chance to express itself. Erin has a very sweet pure voice which hopefully will develop a little more range in future - certainly one to watch.
Next up was a very talented third year piano student from London, Frances Hadley (he, they), who is interested in how the audience interacts with the music in ideological terms. I can see the connection in opera for example after a patriotic opera in La Monnaie in Brussels the audience stormed out and began the revolution that created modern Belgium! And even now opera can create fierce controversy. The links to change in their first piece ‘Brownhill Creek in Spring’ by Miriam Hyde seemed less obvious in its societal commitment, though Frances says it reflects their hatred of war and love of nature. Well it didn’t grab me in an obvious way and for me a little too “plinky plonky” i.e. not enough melody. Their second work, ‘Rain Tree Sketch’, by Japanese composer, Toru Takemitsu, wasn’t any better in conveying either melody or meaning to me, but then I admit I’m more interested and knowledgeable about vocal works than modern piano compositions. There is no doubt that Frances Hadley is a fine pianist and I look forward to hearing them playing more melodic works and hearing more about how music can challenge ideology.
The final segment was a delight and, unusually for the Reid Concert Hall, jazz orientated, with Martina Petrova on piano and vocals and Evie Alberti on alto sax. Martina who is a singer and a pianist from Bulgaria and is in the third year of her music degree began to play the introduction to ‘Work Song’ (a chain gang song by Nat Adderly, lyrics by Oscar Brown jnr., made famous by Nina Simone), then a sax was heard outside the hall and then Evie, also a third year student, came in to the hall playing the sax and joined up with Martina at the piano. Between them they created a perfect rendition of this great jazz standard and left us wanting more. The final item was a lovely instrumental account of ‘Chelsea Bridge’, another jazz standard by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington - indeed I might well have heard it when I saw Duke Ellington in Glasgow in 1960, and that shows you how old I am! The interplay between Martina and Evie was perfect and it was no surprise to learn that they have been playing together since their first year. This made a lovely melodic ending to a delightful lunch-time concert. Let’s hope we have many more next term!
