Alton Maltings Centre, 25th April 2026
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This was my first concert with Alton Concert Orchestra, and the first time I've played the cello in front of a paying audience. I managed to make my way through most of the music and to keep in time and in tune for most of it. Fortunately, we had three in the section, two great players plus me. It meant that when I couldn't manage a difficult passage, I could sit back for a few bars and then merge back in as the opportunity arose.
It's so different to choir rehearsals where we spend a lot of time note bashing and then refining the work. Here we have to read our parts, spot the traps, work out how to play them including the tricky corners, and then the conductor refines the fit, timing and balance. The advice from better players was hugely valuable - for example, after a pizzicato section, remember the staccato markings when starting to bow again. They guided me without embarrassing me.
It was a great challenge, hugely enjoyable. Can't wait for the next one, 4th July: A Night at The Proms. Some Elgar
