The overture Helios, written in 1903 by the Danish composer CA Nielsen, was a novel choice to open this concert by the Purcell School Symphony Orchestra. But as Jonathan Brett, on behalf of Watford Musical Heritage, said in a short opening address, this Bushey school is for brilliant young musicians; every department of the orchestra made a good start under the clear baton of Edward Longstaff, Assistant Director of Music at the School.

Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major was written in 1871. It is one of those works by which this composer's popularity is sustained, having themes known to all music lovers and requiring the soloist's utmost virtuosity. To play it, therefore, the Purcell School was fortunate in having 19-year-old Russian violin soloist, Alexandra Lomeiko among its pupils. Judging by this performance, she has a brilliant future. She already has a fine stage presence, but even she showed some signs of initial nervousness. Along with all the young musicians in the orchestra, she will have benefited from playing in this excellent hall before a large and discerning audience. Alexandra soon settled into the work. At the extremes, she displayed a full tone in the low notes and impressively accurate top notes in Tchaikovsky's own cadenza for the first movement. She maintained the dominion over the orchestra that is at the heart of this concerto, and won enthusiastic and well-merited applause.

After the interval, the Symphony No.5 in E flat by Sibelius (composed in 1937) was another ambitious undertaking for the students. Though written by such a great Finn, it has a certain Russian flavour, making an interesting companion to the Tchaikovsky piece. The work has everything that we expect from Sibelius: inventive form, melodic poignancy, changes of tempo and rhythm, great climaxes and ingenious orchestration. The brass distinguished themselves, and the strings measured up to Sibelius' sometimes unusual demands. Unfortunately the woodwind did not take full advantage of all their opportunities. As for the famous concluding series of staccato chords, the orchestra's compelling emphasis sent us all home content.

Graham Mordue