Music
RSNO Junior Chorus Showcase
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Miranda Heggie
three stars
Displaying the fruits of their labours in weekly rehearsals, the RSNO Junior Chorus presented a charming and entertaining programme of songs on Sunday afternoon, giving an insight into the vocal training received by these youngsters. Clearly an organisation that invests extensively in the musical education and development of these singers, children as young as primary four begin to build a solid musical foundation by using the Kodaly method of training. Opening with a selection of traditional melodies, accompanied by the RSNO playing Stephen Doughty's witty and innovative orchestrations, it clearly is a wonderful opportunity for these children to perform with so fine an orchestra.
The diction from each choir coming under the "Junior Chorus" umbrella was crystal clear, with each word distinctly audible. It was evident that these young singers were thoroughly enjoying themselves as they sang traditional favourites such as Frère Jacques, Aiken Drum and What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor? The second part of the performance contained some more complex repertoire, performed by the most senior choir. Howard Blake's song cycle for children's voices and orchestra, All God's Creatures, saw the choir give a sensitive interpretation of musical settings of the texts of some of Britain's most celebrated poets: William Blake, Lord Tennyson and Lewis Carroll to name a few. Conductor Christopher Bell skilfully moulded the music, and obviously has the singers well trained to watch his every move.
Some traditional Scottish influences were to be heard in contemporary works by Scottish composers Sally Beamish and David Paul Jones, with the layered textures of Beamish's Loom Song beautifully depicting weaving threads, before all choirs joined forces to sing Alan Naplan's setting of a Jewish text, Al Shlosha D'varim.
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