Starting the night off was vocalist Catherine Dalzell, who performed 'Botanic Journey' by Agustin Fernadez . Her surreal voice quickly captivated the room, showcasing her impressive control and range through the various songs within the musical theatre piece. Catherine possesses a beautiful voice and was an undeniably impressive start to the night.
Following the ethereal tone of Miss Dalzell was 'Duet, for Piano and Violin', composed and performed by Caroline Bordignon and a violinist who I didn't catch the name of. The native Canadian student composed the piece during her year's study in Newcastle in her third year of her undergraduate degree, majoring in music and fine art. Both the piano and violin part were executed very well, with some stunning harmonies between the two parts. My only criticism of it is that it was somewhat brief. The piece was truly beauteous and I would have loved to hear more from Caroline.
The third performance of the night was Andy Bell's 'Letting go of the past'. The first year undergraduate described this piece as: "motivational and inspirational" and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't just that. The piece's powerful crescendos made you feel as though you could overcome ant emotional turmoil and achieve anything (move over 'Gonna Fly Now').
Next up was a piece entitled 'Lindisfarne', composed by Scott Douglass. The piece was performed by a string quartet consisting of Alex Lancaster, Emily Green, Liz Emery and Tom Edney. It was composed with the intention of depicting the beauty and stillness of nature, as evidenced through the conflicting majors and minors in the keys of D and G. The most poignant aspect of the piece was its diversity, which heightened the symbolising of the vast and beautiful nature of Lindisfarne. The highlight of the piece for me was the quaint pizzicato section, that resembled birdsong due to its charming harmonies.
The Armstrong Voices then took the stage, privileging the audience to their beautiful lullaby of a set. It was a fusion of gorgeously rich tones and lilting melodies that displayed the vocalist's immaculate control, contrasting the bold with the delicate and sincere. Their voices filled the decadent hall and created a mesmerising ambience.
After a short interval, the night continued with 'Shadows', an electro-acoustic composed by Elaine Cheng. The set was created from digitally altered voices layered in various ways. It was clear that the composition of such a piece required immense skill and technical flair, as evidenced by the haunting atmosphere it evoked. Despite this however, I can't say I enjoyed the set. I could appreciate it and was rather impressed, but it wasn't a pleasurable experience. The sound resembled coughs, agony fuelled cries and sinister murmurs. Cheng's work is incredibly clever, but is extremely niche.
Then The Travelling Valencian Folk Trio took the stage. My favourite part of this act was their back story. The contemporary music performance group met after "an incident where Laura stole Alexei's wallet and took Adam out for drinks, at the financial expense of Alexei"! Unfortunately, I cannot say I enjoyed this piece at all. The programme described them as 'noisy, fragmented, interrupted and abstract'. Which it was. I understand that their performance is supposed to represented the chaos of the modern day and how modern society has 'fragmented' our day to day lives and relationships. This was apparent, the instruments did not compliment each other at all and it was just utterly bizarre. Their performance seemed to last an eternity and the lady next to me was muttering derogatory remarks and refused to clap. There is a point where experimental music just becomes noise and The Valencian Folk Trio's music is just an array of unpleasant noises. Everyone in the room looked uncomfortable or bored senseless. Andy Warhol once said: "Leave them wanting less" and this group certainly did that.
The eighth showcasing of the night was a Live Screening Film Score composed by Hannah Knight. She had taken the classic horror film 'The Birds' and created a soundtrack to accompany a couple of its iconic scenes. This was particularly impressive since the movie was filmed with the intention of having no soundtrack. Her composition heightened the film brilliantly and had the entire room hooked on it's eerie vibe. 'The Birds' is the only horror film that hasn't reduced me into a cowering fool, however after experiencing it with Knight's composition, I find it terrifying.
Ana Fernandez-Guerra was the penultimate act of the night, singing 'El anillo' by Agustin Fernandez. The set was made up of three songs which had been converted from rhythmic Spanish poetry. Ana's enchanting vocals was accompanied by a sweet piano part that reflected the childlike innocence of the narrative behind the music. The overall effect was breathtaking and it was obvious to all present that Ana is an excellent performer with a great deal of talent.
Concluding the night was guitarist Masoud Hardan, who's set featured an array of complimenting instruments including backing guitar, cajon, double bass, violin and harp. His composed pieces were consistently well executed, creating a full bodied and engaging sound. The highlight of the set was his final piece, when he switched his acoustic guitar for an electric and endearingly sang, supported by his sister on backing vocals. This piece was more heartfelt and the performers looked as though they thoroughly enjoyed playing it. It was as though you were watching the perfect jam. Their amiable nature towards each other really symbolised what the whole festival is about, facilitating musicians, showcasing talent and uniting people in the process. Mosoud's set was a fantastic end to the night and left me feeling sated and content.
Following the ethereal tone of Miss Dalzell was 'Duet, for Piano and Violin', composed and performed by Caroline Bordignon and a violinist who I didn't catch the name of. The native Canadian student composed the piece during her year's study in Newcastle in her third year of her undergraduate degree, majoring in music and fine art. Both the piano and violin part were executed very well, with some stunning harmonies between the two parts. My only criticism of it is that it was somewhat brief. The piece was truly beauteous and I would have loved to hear more from Caroline.
The third performance of the night was Andy Bell's 'Letting go of the past'. The first year undergraduate described this piece as: "motivational and inspirational" and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't just that. The piece's powerful crescendos made you feel as though you could overcome ant emotional turmoil and achieve anything (move over 'Gonna Fly Now').
Next up was a piece entitled 'Lindisfarne', composed by Scott Douglass. The piece was performed by a string quartet consisting of Alex Lancaster, Emily Green, Liz Emery and Tom Edney. It was composed with the intention of depicting the beauty and stillness of nature, as evidenced through the conflicting majors and minors in the keys of D and G. The most poignant aspect of the piece was its diversity, which heightened the symbolising of the vast and beautiful nature of Lindisfarne. The highlight of the piece for me was the quaint pizzicato section, that resembled birdsong due to its charming harmonies.
The Armstrong Voices then took the stage, privileging the audience to their beautiful lullaby of a set. It was a fusion of gorgeously rich tones and lilting melodies that displayed the vocalist's immaculate control, contrasting the bold with the delicate and sincere. Their voices filled the decadent hall and created a mesmerising ambience.
After a short interval, the night continued with 'Shadows', an electro-acoustic composed by Elaine Cheng. The set was created from digitally altered voices layered in various ways. It was clear that the composition of such a piece required immense skill and technical flair, as evidenced by the haunting atmosphere it evoked. Despite this however, I can't say I enjoyed the set. I could appreciate it and was rather impressed, but it wasn't a pleasurable experience. The sound resembled coughs, agony fuelled cries and sinister murmurs. Cheng's work is incredibly clever, but is extremely niche.
Then The Travelling Valencian Folk Trio took the stage. My favourite part of this act was their back story. The contemporary music performance group met after "an incident where Laura stole Alexei's wallet and took Adam out for drinks, at the financial expense of Alexei"! Unfortunately, I cannot say I enjoyed this piece at all. The programme described them as 'noisy, fragmented, interrupted and abstract'. Which it was. I understand that their performance is supposed to represented the chaos of the modern day and how modern society has 'fragmented' our day to day lives and relationships. This was apparent, the instruments did not compliment each other at all and it was just utterly bizarre. Their performance seemed to last an eternity and the lady next to me was muttering derogatory remarks and refused to clap. There is a point where experimental music just becomes noise and The Valencian Folk Trio's music is just an array of unpleasant noises. Everyone in the room looked uncomfortable or bored senseless. Andy Warhol once said: "Leave them wanting less" and this group certainly did that.
The eighth showcasing of the night was a Live Screening Film Score composed by Hannah Knight. She had taken the classic horror film 'The Birds' and created a soundtrack to accompany a couple of its iconic scenes. This was particularly impressive since the movie was filmed with the intention of having no soundtrack. Her composition heightened the film brilliantly and had the entire room hooked on it's eerie vibe. 'The Birds' is the only horror film that hasn't reduced me into a cowering fool, however after experiencing it with Knight's composition, I find it terrifying.
Ana Fernandez-Guerra was the penultimate act of the night, singing 'El anillo' by Agustin Fernandez. The set was made up of three songs which had been converted from rhythmic Spanish poetry. Ana's enchanting vocals was accompanied by a sweet piano part that reflected the childlike innocence of the narrative behind the music. The overall effect was breathtaking and it was obvious to all present that Ana is an excellent performer with a great deal of talent.
Concluding the night was guitarist Masoud Hardan, who's set featured an array of complimenting instruments including backing guitar, cajon, double bass, violin and harp. His composed pieces were consistently well executed, creating a full bodied and engaging sound. The highlight of the set was his final piece, when he switched his acoustic guitar for an electric and endearingly sang, supported by his sister on backing vocals. This piece was more heartfelt and the performers looked as though they thoroughly enjoyed playing it. It was as though you were watching the perfect jam. Their amiable nature towards each other really symbolised what the whole festival is about, facilitating musicians, showcasing talent and uniting people in the process. Mosoud's set was a fantastic end to the night and left me feeling sated and content.
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