12th March 2005 at St. Stephen’s Church , Bournemouth
19th March 2005 at the Barrington Theatre Ferndown

Conductor Sam Newgarth MBE LRAM

The WOS always considers it to be a great honour when a civic dignitary attends one of their concerts. On the 19th March the Mayor of Ferndown, Councillor Mr Pat Young was scheduled to attend the concert at the Barrington Theatre but owing to ill health the Deputy Mayor, Mrs Olgilvy and Mayoress, Mrs Rosalind Young, attended in his place. The Orchestra thinks it was very kind of them both to take time off from their very extensive civic duties and full programme to attend a performance. As a small token of appreciation the Mayoress was presented with a CD of the Westbourne Orchestra’s Queens Golden Jubilee concert, which was recorded in the Barrington Theatre in June 2002.

Leader Jane Bultz, a very gifted violinist, joined the Orchestra in January but owing to a previous engagement (at the Albert Hall, London no less) she was unable to attend the concert on the 12th. The Orchestra was very grateful that Anita Hansen, Leader of the Dorset Chamber Orchestra, was able to step in fill the breach and take over as Leader for the first of the Spring Concerts.

"Definitely the high spot of the programme." "Wonderful pianist.", "Superb piano playing"’   “Great performance”, “Wonderful concert and outstanding pianist”, “Samantha should go places”, were just some of the complimentary comments overheard during the intervals and at conclusion of the WOS Spring Concert Series

The guest solo pianist Samantha Ward, currently studying at the Guildhall School of Music in London, gave exceptionally brilliant performances of the Grieg Piano Concerto in A Minor. The orchestra is proud, privileged and extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity of accompanying Samantha. She humbly received the tremendous ovation and bouquet of flowers at the end of each of her two performances with true grace and charm. It is hoped that she will be persuaded to return at a later date for another concert with the Orchestra

Once again the WOS presented an enjoyable and well-balanced programme. The first item on the programme, which preceded the Grieg, was the melodic and exciting overture to Dichter and Bauer (Poet and Peasant) by Franz Suppe.

The second half of the programme consisted of “Tales from the Vienna Woods” by Strauss Jr with its multitude of waltz melodies almost inviting audience members to stand up and dance and the very challenging and popular Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony. The fourth movement of the Symphony, the Saltarello in the minor throughout, provided a brilliant finale to the evening’s professional quality entertainment by this very well-known amateur orchestra.

The next concerts in June celebrate the Westbourne Orchestral Society 75th Anniversary and include the Richard Davis Composers Competition music.

WOS Review 19/VK
27th March, 2005

The Westbourne Orchestra is supported in part by the Portman Building Society.

Return to Spring 2005 Programme : Press Room