THE St Cecilia Orchestra’s summer concert featured the chamber group numbering about 30 players. Two concertos made up the heart of the programme, first the much-loved Trumpet Concerto in E flat by Haydn with Skipton-born Adam Stockbridge as the soloist. He played with great assurance throughout, with beautifully lyrical phrasing in the slow movement and with a fluid tone which was never forced.

Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp is a gem of a piece and two more youthful and elegant soloists, Samantha Pearce (flute) and Mary Reid (harp) gave a lovely performance of this charming work. In particular, the slow Andantino with string accompaniment only, was an absolute delight with the violins often playing in thirds in a very Italian style adding to the dreamy, other-wordly atmosphere created by Samantha and Mary.

Before the trumpet concerto, the evening had begun with Schubert’s youthful Fifth Symphony. The orchestra gave a precise and well balanced reading of the work with some very delicate string playing and excellent dynamic range. The interplay between wind and strings in the slow movement came across very well and we palpably felt the sun come out as the key changes from minor to major in the third movement.

The concert ended with the Stravinsky’s orchestral suite from this ballet Pulcinella, a patchwork of episodes from the ballet of the same name. There are plenty of opportunities for both individuals and sections to shine and these were very well taken by this talented orchestra, most notably with some virtuoso playing from leader Richard Fletcher.

The well-known Toccata, featuring Reviews the brass, came across clearly and the stately Gavotte allowed the oboes, bassoons and horns to shine.

John Mitchell