S&C regular Paul Valentine meditates on the rejuvenating effects of visiting ‘the highest attraction in Europe’. I am in the Void. Above me pure azure sky. Below, nothing for thousands of metres and then virgin [… read more ]
Paul Valentine reviews the recent opening night performance of Latin Fiesta, conducted by Carlos Miguel Prieto, with piano by Gabriela Montero and Mezzo-Soprano by Rihab Chaieb. From the outset, Prieto’s mastery and management of the orchestra was perfect. The [… read more ]
Paul Valentine reviews the recent performance of Czech Mates by the BSO, conducted by Kiril Karabits, piano by Sunwook Kim, and Amyn Merchant, Leader. The performance comprised Suk Scherzo, Fantastique and Dvorak’s Piano Concerto and Symphony [… read more ]
Community reporter, Paul Valentine, reviews the recent Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) performance, Echoes of Home, conducted by Jamie Phillips and starring pianist Denis Kozhukhin. The concert comprised performances of Smetana – Vltava (Ma Vlast), Tchaikovsky – [… read more ]
Community reporter, Paul Valentine, reviews the recent Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) performance, Spirit of England, conducted by David Hill. I was looking forward to this concert, not so much for the programme – I lost touch with [… read more ]
Community reporter, Paul Valentine, reviews the recent Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) performance, Superhuman Strauss, and is far from disappointed Well here we are at the Guildhall in Portsmouth again. Tonight, I am full of expectancy; there [… read more ]
Community reporter, Paul Valentine, reviews the recent Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) performance, Natural Beauty, at Portsmouth Guildhall on 8th February 2019, conducted by Michael Seal, and violin by Ning Feng. Full disclosure, nothing grabbed me about this programme. [… read more ]
Community reporter, Paul Valentine, reviews the recent Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) performance, Backwards Glimpses, at Portsmouth Guildhall on 24th January 2019, conducted by Jacek Kaspszyk. I mused during this performance on the irony that is current concert-going, [… read more ]
Community reporter, Paul Valentine, reviews the recent Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) performance, Smooth Classics II, at Portsmouth Guildhall on 16th November 2018, conducted by Marta Gardolińska. As someone who wants to find messages and story [… read more ]
Community reporter and S&C reviewer Paul Valentine attended the book launch for Clare Best’s new memoir The Missing List and finds a masterfully written and powerful reflection on abuse. I’ve read a lot of memoirs [… read more ]
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