REVIEWS: Chineke! Orchestra with Elena Urioste
Chineke! Orchestra with Elena Urioste
Conducted by Kevin John Edusei
Weber: Overture, Oberon
Coleridge-Taylor: Violin Concerto in G minor, Op.80
Brahms: Symphony No.2
The Times
Chineke! Orchestra review — the purity of tone and rhythm were enchanting
Queen Elizabeth Hall ★★★★☆
“It is exciting and unnerving to hear Brahms and Weber interpreted by a collective of individual voices and musical personalities: stretto sections bristled with personality, primped and plumped by the double basses. There were delectable solos from Mariam Adam (clarinet) and Armand Djikoloum (oboe). Led by Harry Brown, the trombones had a handsome weight. ”
The Daily Telegraph
Chineke!, Queen Elizabeth Hall ★★★★☆
“Four years ago, Chineke!, Europe’s first majority black and minority ethnic orchestra, was launched at London’s Southbank in a blaze of excitement and hope. The challenge would be to sustain that initial momentum – which the orchestra has done magnificently, spawning a chamber group and a junior orchestra. Today it sets off on its first European tour.
The established orchestras could learn a thing or two about presentation from Chineke!, whose players smile at the audience, and actually look as if they’re enjoying themselves (this isn’t always the case). And Thursday night’s concert showed that the orchestra is striving to carve a special niche for itself, both inside the classical mainstream and also outside as a champion of BME composers past and present.
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The Arts Desk
Chineke!, Queen Elizabeth Hall ★★★★☆
“The American violinist Elena Urioste brought the work everything it deserves: a rich, glowing tone, rhythmic panache, shedloads of charisma and a tenderness that cradled the slow movement as if it were the most precious jewel in the world, which I think it actually may be. Conductor Kevin John Edusei - blessed with an authoritative presence plus huge and expressive hands - was a sensitive and sensible accompanist, expertly fielding Coleridge-Taylor’s numerous curveball gear-changes and attentive not only to clarity of detail but also the orchestral sound’s potential to form a halo around the soaring violin line. It is high time this gorgeous concerto was heard more widely. Perhaps Chineke!’s tour will help to spread the word at last.”