Excerpt from a review by Richard Whitehouse of our Spanish concert, published by www.arcana.fm

"The Salomon Orchestra celebrates its 60th anniversary this season with three concerts of real ambition. The second saw a collaboration with Edmon Colomer, whose advocacy of Spanish music in general – and Roberto Gerhard especially – was evident throughout this programme.

At just over 50 minutes, Soirées de Barcelone is a tough assignment for any orchestra, so all credit to the Salomon for rendering its many intricacies with unfailing commitment and no little panache. It helped to have Colomer at the helm, his understanding and empathy being evident through the care over phrasing and frequent textural finesse... as he steered a fine reading to its close, there was little doubt as to the sheer power and imagination of this music.

A dependable pianist in the Gerhard, Josephine Lappin impressed as soloist with Manuel de Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain, whose pervasive concertante writing often benefitted when heard from the rear of the platform.

Subtitled a ‘Choreographic Fantasy’, Ritmos made for a scintillating curtain-raiser – its six continuous sections demonstrating unforced musical logic as well as an appealing overall atmosphere. The Salomon players rendered it with infectious enjoyment, reminding one that such pieces – indeed, those in this concert as a whole – are all too infrequently heard in UK concert halls. Colomer provided an extensive spoken introduction to the Gerhard, hopefully a work he will yet record in its entirety. He rounded off this memorable concert with a breezy medley from the Zarazuela, notable for principal flautist Roy Bell taking the solo spot with his castanets."

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From Barry Clark, audience member at our concert on 29 October 2019 via Twitter: “A big thanks to all for last night’s concert at St.John’s Smith Sq. Loved both pieces, but we were really there for the Bax. Such a rarity to hear his music live. Philip Ellis’s obvious love & relish for the music was plainly evident in the playing.Memorable, & moving.”

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“I wish to pass on my congratulations to conductor and orchestra for a superb night of music at St. John’s, Smith Square last Tuesday. The Alpine Symphony is a piece of music I have known and loved for a great many years. I have heard this demanding piece of music performed many times, including famous Straussian masters such as the Dresden Staatskapelle, and I have to say that your performance was among the most enjoyable I have ever experienced. Keep up the great work.” Thanks to audience member Jim Johnston for a lovely email about our concert in October 2018.

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“Never an ensemble to shirk a challenge, the Salomon Orchestra’s current season continued tonight with what, aesthetically, was an almost perfectly balanced programme”: Thank you to Richard Whitehouse for a kind and candid review of the opening concert of our 2017-8 season.

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Via Twitter: “Thank you @SalomonOrch @HeskethMusic @tarapersaud for inspired concert. My new ambition is to become an amateur musician- much more fun!” Guy Johnston after performing Dvorak’s Cello Concerto on 14th October 2014 as a soloist, with his father and sister both in the orchestra. The concert also included Suk’s dramatic Asrael Symphony: “the Asrael Symphony spoke to me from the first violins, from each hopeful passage produced from Tara Persaud’s bow in her dramatic solos… I echoed with them, I’ll evolve as they told me to.  Thanks for all that magic, Josef Suk and Salomon Orchestra!”. Read more about this concert as reviewed by Luis Masutier here.

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“The Salomon Orchestra is one of London’s best non-professional orchestras and they can often go where others fear to tread … [On Panufnik’s Sinfonia Sacra] The orchestra responded magnificently, and under Newton’s persuasive direction really brought the work to life, filling its symbolic structures with heart and emotion.” Robert Hugill’s review of Salomon Orchestra, 25 June 2014.

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“..the impressive choral forces and the two excellent soloists were often no match for the orchestra. The Salomon Orchestra was in fine form, with brass, strings and percussion effectively painting the seascape.” Michael Gray’s review of Salomon Orchestra with Waltham Singers, Chelmsford, 16 November 2013.

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“The concert showed the Salomon Orchestra at the top of its form … I look forward to further concerts in the orchestra’s 50th anniversary season.” Robert Hugill on Salomon Orchestra, St John’s Smith Square, February 2013.