Winter Concert 2026

Conductor Joe Davies bounded onto the rostrum and we were off! Straight into the action - a lively opening to a concert that was to be full of dramatic action and virtuosity. Right from its first performance Mozart’s Don Giovanni has been acknowledged as one of his finest works, and we were privileged to hear the overture’s kaleidoscope of conflicting passions so excitingly presented. The sense of operatic drama continued in Weber’s Second Clarinet Concerto, in which the soloist alternates between virtuosic arioso and lyrical recitative. Alex Buckley’s command of his instrument was quite astonishing, racing through scale passages with breath-taking speed, and filling the church with top register sound at the climaxes, while in the quieter sections achieving an almost magical pianissimo. Brahms’ Second Symphony is a much more complex work, the first movement expanding gradually from its opening motif to reveal a wide expressive landscape; there is a beautiful cello tune in the second movement (which must have influenced Elgar), a Mahlerian Ländler in the third, and in the grand finale, sonorous trombone chords underpinning its monumental conclusion. It was thrilling to hear the Camerata orchestra respond to Joe Davies’ authoritative direction with real dedication and enthusiasm, and the audience’s heartfelt and prolonged applause in appreciation of this concert was testament to their skill and musicianship. A superb concert - congratulations to all involved.