Violinist Laura rises to the challenge

OLDHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Oldham Hulme Grammar School

HAMPSHIRE-born young violinist Laura Rickard joined members of Oldham Symphony Orchestra in a telling performance of Elgar’s Violin Concerto at the orchestra’s autumn concert.

Playing under conductor Richard Waldock, soloist and orchestra provided just the right ebb and flow of richly orchestrated sounds, displaying both technical mastery and interpretative insight.

Laura established her credentials from the start and despite a few passages that stretched her technique to the limit, held centre stage throughout.

The second half of the concert featured Beethoven’s 6th Symphony. This unashamedly bucolic music presents many challenges - not least the need to be absolutely in time and in tune with each other. This was mostly but not always the case on this occasion — regrettable because it was so very uncharacteristic of the performance’s general flow. But Waldock drove the orchestra to a satisfying final, celebratory conclusion.

GM