REVIEWS: Chineke! Orchestra with Tai Murray
Chineke! Orchestra with Tai Murray
Conducted by Fawzi Haimor
Coleridge-Taylor: Othello Suite, Op.79
Bruch: Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor
Beethoven: Symphony No.7
The Times
Queen Elizabeth Hall ★★★★☆
“The last time I reviewed Chineke, which was just over a couple of years ago, the orchestra had a clear purpose, but not yet a distinctive sound. Here, it all fell into place. From the emphatic double basses (galvanised by Nwanoku) up to the gleaming first violins (led by Robert Nzekwu), the string sound was rich and supple. If there were one or two moments when the wind and brass tuning wavered, for the most part their playing exuded lyricism. It was all underlined by alert percussion and fluidly conducted by Fawzi Haimor. Gesture, spirit and sound felt as one.”
Evening Standard
Queen Elizabeth Hall ★★★★☆
“Last November Chineke! was honoured with the Royal Philharmonic Society’s first gamechanger award and although there’s always an atmosphere of anticipation at their concerts, this one did seem to have a special tingle factor. ”
Bachtrack
Queen Elizabeth Hall ★★★★☆
“There was no mistaking the commitment and palpable joy in the playing of Chineke! Its glory is its string section, whose members include many with considerable professional and international experience, by turns weighty and incisive, creating waves of infectious propulsion, and yet capable of the most delicate and precise pizzicato. There are some fine individual soloists within its ranks, including a secure principal horn, with only the woodwind lacking the ultimate in distinctiveness.”
“I was in tears during the utterly beautiful presentation of the second movement (Allegretto) theme, first by the splendid lower strings and then by the excellent first flute (Michael Liu) and first oboe (Lorraine Hart). I was delighted that conductor Haimor went attacca into the last movement, for once not allowing clapping between movements.”