After Freeland Orchestra we were treated to performances by the West Oxford Clarinets – a very impressive group of nine clarinets and two bass clarinets. The group made a beautifully homogeneous sound, was well in tune and played some very lively Dvorak (well known ‘Slavonic Dance no. 8’) with well managed dynamic contrasts and lovely unison middle section, followed by the Adagio of Grieg’s Piano concerto and ‘Sevillanas’ by Albeniz. This featured some very atmospheric Spanish sounding solos from the lead clarinet Julia Middleton. They ended this half of the programme with an energetic rendering of the Sinatra classic ‘Come Fly with Me’.
Well done all round.

(Carolyn King)

WOC’s Programme:

Slavonic Dance Op. 46 No. 8 – Dvorak

Adagio (from Piano Concerto) – Grieg

Sevillanas (from Suite Española) – Albéniz

Come Fly with Me – Cahn/van Heusen arr. Whelan