MICHAEL DRAKE Norwich Playhouse

MICHAEL DRAKE

Norwich Playhouse

Their intent was to be musically innovative, to bring that music to venues not on the “main routes” and to encourage young musicians by a closer proximity to the more experienced.

And under the Artistic Directing of Sharon Andrea and Choa's conducting, the mission statement has been well established as the COA (leader Simon Smith) reached their fifth birthday last evening with a celebratory concert.

While I can't say the especially composed Birthday Ode by Jonathan Impett was either inspiring or congratulatory, the Playhouse acoustic was resonant enough to appreciate the awakening joy of Haydn's Symphony No 6 (Le Matin).

Schubert's “Unfinished” Symphony followed with a vibrant reading and Janacek's youthful and rather beautiful Suite for String Orchestra was notable for a particularly graceful and mellow second movement. Finally, Copland's Appalachian Spring was full of ebullient character. How COA has blossomed - happy birthday.