voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
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Kirkcaldy Orchestral Society - Concert Report
Created: 09/10/2017, Updated: 11/10/2017Kirkcaldy Orchestral Society (KOS) - Fife's Community Orchestra - with members from across Fife and the Lothians opened its 2017/2018 concert season on 03 October in the Old Kirk, Kirkcaldy with its 'Variations 1'.
The Orchestra Leader is Vince Gray, and Musical Director and Conductor, Graeme Wilson.
Since its opening night in the middle of August, the Orchestra members have worked very hard to produce its first programme of music and the capacity audience showed its great appreciation of their efforts. Starting with the season's theme music, the Rondeau from Abdelazer by Purcell, the programme moved through An Interesting Overture by Bruce Fraser, Bruch's haunting Romanze for viola and orchestra with Eilidh Randall as soloist, the Largo from Dvorak's New World Symphony, a small ensemble performance of Peter Maxwell Davies's Renaissance Dances, the theme and three variations from Enigma by Elgar, Copland's famous Hoe-Down from Rodeo - and the audience was set on its road home with the theme tune from Thunderbirds by Barry Gray!
The programme presented KOS members with a great challenge not the least of which was the constant playing required. The players gave a resounding assurance of their skills and power with piece after piece building to a grand finish.
Several of the pieces were linked through their inclusion in the BBC third Ten Pieces Project, a series of compositions aimed at primary and secondary schools' use. KOS MD Graeme Wilson had invited some young people's participation with introductions to the music and S6 music student Emma Smith from Inverkeithing High School (and a member of the orchestra) gave an interesting presentation/introduction to the Hoe-Down complete with live audio examples from the orchestra prior to its complete performance.
KOS returns to the platform on Sunday 17 December when it joins with the Langtoun Singers for 'Variations 2', a programme of seasonal music, including The Snow Queen by Bruce Fraser, in the Old Kirk, Kirkcaldy, performances at 2.00pm and 4.00pm.