A symphony orchestra'strip to the culture capital

The Charity Symphony Orchestra (CSO), whose 20 singers and musicians hail from Portsmouth, Fareham, Havant and Southampton, travelled to Milan for the concert earlier this month.

They were joined on stage at Chiesa Santa Maria alla Fontana by the Orchestra Allegro Moderato (OAM).

Violinist Stuart Reed, from Fareham, said it was a ‘fantastico’ experience.

‘Undoubtedly, the stars of the show were the young Italian players who, helped by their music teachers, bowed and plucked stringed instruments, clashed cymbals, beat drums, strummed harps and played with gusto.

‘The conductor, Marco Volpi, brought these keen musicians in, precisely on cue, with deft waves of his baton.

‘The players’ concentration throughout both of Grieg’s Pyr Gynt suites, challenging even for seasoned professionals, was truly admirable.’

The CSO played works by Mozart, Strauss, Grieg and Beethoven.

Stuart added: ‘Maggie and Miles Rackowe, Ali Meyer, Rosie Woods, Wendy Carpenter, Sally Keighley and Dominic Harries joined forces with CSO director Craig Lawton to sing Mozart’s deeply moving Ave Verum Corpus. For the finale, the orchestras joined together to play a thundering special arrangement of Beethoven’s famous Ode to Joy. The 200-strong audience loved it and enthusiastic cries of “bravi” and “fantastico” filled the air.’

Afterwards it was revealed almost £900 had been raised to buy new instruments for the Orchestra Allegro Moderato.