It was a delight to be part of the audience at St Andrew’s Hall to hear the Academy of St Thomas’ concert,  with energetic guest conductor, Christopher George.

The initial orchestral piece, the evocative “Serenade for Strings” by Edward Elgar, was beautifully played and followed by Norwich-born violinist Hannah Perowne in Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor. Hannah’s playing was superb and the whole piece was joyous and played at a spirited pace. The enthusiastic response from the audience of around 350 people gained us the encore of a Bach Sarabande.

Beethoven’s  Symphony No. 8 rounded off the evening and was played with dynamism and was hugely enjoyable. The whole evening was a reminder of the pleasure that listening to live music brings and how life enhancing it is. The experience of lockdowns has reminded us to value opportunities to listen to concerts of high quality in our local area. Thank you Academy of St Thomas.

Deborah Duncan-Rees and Jane Roberson