Music Department Choir and Orchestra Concert
Hull University, City Hall
April 2009
City Hall is an impressive and distracting venue; there is always something to look at. Whether it is the performers, the ceiling or merely the bloke two rows in front eating sweets, it’s rare that an audience member would go without some menial visual entertainment. I’m not entirely convinced this should be the dominant feeling of someone attending a ‘Concert Series’.
The University Choir, conducted be Lee Tsang, were impressive in number but disappointing in volume; either more than two thirds were miming, or the acoustics in City Hall leave a lot to be desired. Various members of the choir (especially in the tenor section) could be singled out for their own personal volume and enthusiasm, but as a whole, the effect was unbalanced – perhaps the orchestral accompaniment was simply too loud. The Orchestra played well, both pianists (Eva Budniak and Fei Fan) were impressive (to watch as well as hear), and Nathaniel Seaman’s composition was enjoyable, if a little odd. Musically, the second half of the concert was pleasant, but lacked the entertainment value of Choir members yawning and fidgeting. Congratulations must be duly awarded to the Music Department for sustaining my fickle interest for as long as they did.
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