Orchestra back on track despite small audience

Gallery Video

MOSSEL BAY ENTERTAINMENT NEWS AND VIDEO - Despite an extremely disappointing turnout of fewer than 40 Mossel Bay-ers, the George-based Carpe Musicam! Orchestra, pulled out all the stops to provide an exciting, refreshing and thoroughly enjoyable concert in the Town Hall on Sunday afternoon, 18 October.

The 32-piece community-based orchestra - which comprises players from all over the Garden Route, including Mossel Bay clarinettist Mariaan Basson and Dana Bay violinist Joy Johnston - provided a rich overall sound with strings and winds in balance, good attention to articulations and phrasing and commendably good intonation at most times.

Noteworthy was the synchronisation of the violin bowing, which has tended to be a bit untidy in the past. Conductor, Norman Carless, says this is due to the diligent and seemingly unending work by co-leaders Cherith Bain and Jean Kotze.

Bain gave a heart-warming solo rendition of Elgar's Salut d'Amour, in which the orchestra was always supportive, but never overwhelming. There were some interesting new tweaks in the version played. Later Bain and Kotze teamed up for a sort of Duelling Banjos version of Vivaldi-esque Rock.

Photo gallery: Carpe Musicam! performance at Mossel Bay Town Hall

All the music played by this orchestra is innovative and feels fresh and new. It gave new life to the old chestnuts, such as What a Wonderful World, Blue Moon and Londonderry Air.

The orchestra will be reprising this performance in the open air at the Garden Route Botanical Gardens on Sunday, 25 October, at 15:00 - 90 minutes of enjoyable and whistle-able tunes while sitting in the heart of nature and sipping on your favourite whatever.

Watch a video below: