BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL
07 May 2014
Farlington Music Scholars from Year 9 upwards and GCSE and A-level Music students spent a day at the Royal Festival Hall (RFH) on Friday 25th April following an invitation from Farlington parent, Kathryn Enticott of IMG Artists Management, to view a rehearsal of the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) playing with internationally famous guitarist, Miloš.
Met by Kathryn, with her junior colleague Mandy Hsieh (who is an ex-Farlington pupil), the girls were given a welcome pack together with an informal and insightful chat about the opportunities and career-path possibilities of Music Management. Then it was off to the afternoon rehearsal, hurrying through the myriad corridors behind the scenes at the RFH and literally bumping into Miloš, whom Kathryn represents and who was playing a concerto with the LPO that evening. After a warm greeting, and a promise to meet up in the interval, it was straight to the middle of the stalls in the awe-inspiring 2,000-seater auditorium of the RFH, where they watched the world-famous LPO tuning-up preparatory to the arrival of renowned conductor, Vladimir Jurowski.
They were riveted throughout the exhilarating Overture by Russian composer Rimsky-Korsakov, blown away by the technical and musical brilliance of Miloš in Rodrigo’s “Aranjuez”, and captivated by the beauty and power of Tchaikovsky’s 6th Symphony. Watching the conductor as he interrupted what appeared to be perfectly played passages to work on small details of phrasing and balance, and hearing the difference it made, was a real privilege; and the unanimity of the playing was extraordinary.
As well as experiencing a three-hour rehearsal session, the music students were also privileged to meet both Miloš and Maestro Jurowski who, despite the fact that they were performing to a sell-out audience one hour later, were happy to chat and to answer questions. It was a unique and special experience and we are immensely grateful to Kathryn for arranging the trip.
Jane Thomas