Steve Bingham, warming up
before the concert
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Reviews "10th Anniversary Concert", Ely Cathedral - October 2009 Concert review by Rosemary Westwell "Ely Sinfonia, 'the first high quality orchestral ensemble to be based in Ely', has certainly blossomed over the past 10 years. The concert in Ely Cathedral presented as a celebration of its 10th anniversary was an excellent tribute to this organization's talent, musicality and dedication. Conducted by Steve Bingham, the orchestra opened the event with an highly accomplished performance of Beethoven's popular 5th symphony. The players worked as one, developing Beethoven's dramatic contrasts into episodes of accumulating tension and creating a constant sense of urgency that was never hurried and a momentum that never dissipated. The charm and appeal of the second movement exploited the more subtle effects of Beethoven's style while the Scherzo and final Allegro brought the work to a typical robust and triumphant climax. The evening was marked with a first performance of a work especially written for the occasion: The Martyrdom of Latimer by Adam Pounds who was present in the audience. The warmth and enthusiasm the audience showed towards this piece was certainly warranted. This profound work explored the excitement and darkness of death and spiritual revival. After the opening appealing melody was taken up in turn by the different sections of the orchestra, the toll of impending doom heralded the contrasting development of dramatic conflict, building up to an exciting climax with trumpets off-stage broadening the experience until the work's final thunderous drum call brought this fine composition to a memorable close. After interval, the evening culminated with a glorious presentation of Mozart's Requiem Mass in D Minor. The orchestra was joined by the combined forces of Ely Consort and Swavesey Community Choir and soloists Helen-Jane Howells (soprano), Olivia Ray (mezzo-soprano), Nicholas Bewes (tenor) and Simon Adams (bass). Steve Bingham led this magnificent mass of performers towards moments of sublime expression. His sense of dynamic and rhythmic drive urged the music forwards, always enhancing the sense of poignancy that permeated the score. Singers and instrumentalists added potency to their performance with an unreserved and personal involvement that has rarely been seen in choirs and orchestras of such magnitude. The soloists were outstanding, producing sounds of rare beauty especially noticeable in the Benedictus. The poignant semitone phrases and contrasts of the Lacrimosa and the strong, wholesome chords from the choir in the Agnus Dei were only two of the wonderful effects that pervaded this moving performance. This was indeed a wonderful celebration. At the end of the evening, the occasion was marked with the presentation of an award to Robin Moore who has been largely responsible for the development and growth of this fine orchestra. His efforts were very much appreciated by those attending." "A Musical Feast", Sutton Church - June 2009 Concert review by Rosemary Westwell "Conductor and violinist Steve Bingham, Ely Sinfonia and soloists Helen-Louise Baker (flute) and Daniel de-Fry (harp) presented a magnificent concert in Sutton’s 14th century church recently. The programme was ideal. The event opened and closed with rousing, atmospheric orchestral overtures. Beethoven’s Fidelio Overture opened the concert making the most of Beethoven’s dramatic changes and a phenomenally vivacious performance of Rossini’s Thieving Magpie Overture brought the event to a rousing close. Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp was beauty personified. The two soloists were particularly well suited and with a background of solid technique and musical perception, Mozart’s charming score was given a fresh and appealing touch. You can never hear too much of good music and Elgar’s Serenade for Strings takes a lot of beating. The strings in this concert displayed conspicuously sensitive precision in their phrasing bringing out Elgar’s warmth and depth magnificently. The sonorous statements in the second movement were particularly Mahler-like. When Steve prepared to play the solo part of the Bach violin concerto we knew it was going to be good and indeed Bach’s running lines were given new life and shape. Repeated motifs were never repetitive. In this piece the tremendous variety of expression the performers could command was especially noticeable. After the grand finale of the Rossini, it was not surprising that an encore was demanded and, much to their delight, members of the audience were treated to more of the Rossini." "Russia from Romance to Ruin", Ely Cathedral - March 2009 Concert review from Hunts Post (www.huntspost.co.uk) "In the concert in Ely Cathedral on Saturday 7th March the orchestra performed works by Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and Rimsky Korsakov. "Romeo and Juliet fantasy overture" by Tchaikovsky opened the evening and the phenomenal ability of conductor Steve Bingham was immediately apparent. Under his leadership entries were precise, the orchestra worked as a cohesive whole and the tenor of the music rose and fell deliciously in the familiar emotional themes of Tchaikovsky's style. The strings in particular produced a sonorous and rich tone. This work was followed by a darker and more reflective "Chamber Symphony" by Shostakovich. In this composition the skill of the conductor and performers was made especially apparent by the way in which they created tension in moments of extended melancholy contrasted with cohesive violent interruptions. The evening culminated magnificently with a fine performance of Rimsky-Korsakov's opus 35 "Scheherazade". This composer's renowned skill at orchestration was fully explored by solo performers playing a wide variety of instruments as the tale of Scheherazade unfolded. Scheherazade was the wife of a revenge-seeking sultan who had vowed to marry a new wife every night and kill her the next morning. Scheherazade saved herself from this threatened execution by telling a never ending tale. The themes of the tale were beautifully explored. Scheherazade's theme played on solo violin by Christina Everson, the leader of the orchestra, was particularly effective and memorable. Solo oboe, flute, clarinet and harpist also excelled in their contributions. Meanwhile the precision of the orchestral groups under Steve's command remained noticeably a constant and positive feature. The tremendous changes in dynamics swept the listeners along. It was easy to feel that one wanted to be right there inside the orchestra joining in with these impressive musicians expressing such moving sounds." Ely Cathedral Concert - March 2007 Ely Sinfonia presented a refreshing concert in Ely Cathedral on Saturday 3rd March 2007. An attractive programme of music with Spanish connections offered works by Chabrier, Rodrigo and Dvorak that were both appealing and challenging. “España-Rhapsody for Orchestra” by Chabrier provided a fitting attention-seeking opening to events. The tantalizing variety of rhythms and colours in this work were brought alive in the hands of conductor Peter Britton. His ease on the platform and the suave precision that permeated his conducting style inspired great works from the orchestral members. David Massey was a youthful but formidable solo guitarist. His capacity to sail through swift passages with unerring effortlessness and his command of the tremendous variety of styles and techniques his performances demanded, thrilled the packed audience. He positively stirred the hear-strings in Rodrigo’s “Fantasia para un gentilhombre” and his firm exploration of the deeper tones of the instrument was awe-inspiring. Ely Sinfonia accompanied David with measured skill and this spnedid orchestra had by now proved to be highly accomplished - able to work cohesively and effectively incorporating many highly skilled solo passages that gave the virtuosic flourishes and more sonorous, contemplative episodes excellent value. This fine orchestra ended the concert with a very appealing presentation of Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 9 in E “From the New World” Op. 95. The warmth of the strings the beauty and dexterity of the woodwind, the robust strength of the brass and the vibrant foundation provided by the percussion made the performance delightful. The lightness and ease of the performance, again, left no doubt that under Peter’s conducting, the instrumentalists knew exactly when and how to participate effectively and they were inspired to bring out the expressiveness of this popular composition with confidence. However, the most outstanding effect of the evening’s performance was the successful realization of Ely Sinfonia’s original mission to bring together local performers of all ages and backgrounds, professional and amateur, to develop their understanding and performance skills under the guidance of local professional artists. The evening was particularly successful in this and with the availability of large screens from which the individuals performers could be seen made it heart-warmingly evident that some of the finest flute playing came from a local blind musician whose partner instrumentalist was able to support sufficiently well so that not a beat was lost. Vivaldi's Four Seasons Ely Sinfonia gave a splendid concert to a packed audience in Ely Cathedral on Saturday 16th September 2006. With much of the audience seated in the candlelit choir stalls and the performers situated to the east end of the Cathedral, the effect was intriguingly intimate on a grand style. The concert opened with a charming presentation of Bach's cantata BWV82 "Ich habe genug". Robin Moore (baritone) gave Bach's line a rare softness and warmth, his special voice colour giving the arias a beauty that far surpassed the notes on the score. From this first piece, there was no doubt that this orchestra is a fine orchestra capable of gelling together to produce an assured and full-bodied sound. The performers created great moments of transparent clarity in the dialogue between individual parts and instruments, making the expression meaningful and effective. In this concert, such cohesion and skill was largely due to the buoyant, all-embracing eloquence of Paul Trepte's conducting.
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