On Saturday, in the Reid Hall, Forfar, modern popular music took to the stage.
This concert was dedicated to the memory of our Honorary President, the late Mary, Dowager Countess of Strathmore, who died at her home in Melrose in April. From the beginnings of TSO in 1993 until 2018 she was a loyal supporter, and the orchestra welcomed her family and many friends who attended.
Collaborations between TSO and the Friends’ Chorus from Arbroath have proven popular with audiences in the past and this was another success. The orchestra opened the concert with a rousing selection from Oklahoma! (Rodgers) which set the tone for the evening. The programme interspersed choral contributions, including Hallelujah (Cohen), I Vow to Thee My Country (Holst) and Viva La Vida (Coldplay), with orchestral arrangements of Jesus Christ Superstar (Lloyd Webber), Life on Mars (Bowie), and a Simon & Garfunkel Medley.
Of special note was the orchestral arrangement of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, with an outstanding rendition of the well-known opening on clarinet from Bob Thomson, followed by solos from the brass section. There was a spine-tingling performance of Run by Snow Patrol with Orchestra and Choir clearly enjoying the performance. Another highlight – during You Can’t Stop the Beat – the double bass section entered into the spirit of the joyous finale with some dance choreography with their instruments. The concert closed with the well-known ABBA classic Waterloo which included enthusiastic audience participation rounding off an excellent evening’s performance.