KOCHI:Each time the baton swung in the air, the scores traversed in different patterns. The flock of musicians were completely aligned with the cues given by the conductor. The pin-drop silence was broken at regular intervals by tumultuous applause. The first-ever Western classical orchestra performance in the city by Alexander Briger-led Australian World Orchestra (AWO) turned out to be a treat to the residents of Kochi.
The jampacked Liwa hall at LuLu Bolgatty International Convention Centre was enthralled by the performance of the ensemble of 52 musicians under Briger. AWO performed Don Giovanni Overture by Mozart, Rondo Capriccioso by Camille Saint-Saëns, Arias by Georges Bizet and Ludwig Beethoven’s famous Symphonies which lasted for more than two hours.
The violin performance by Daniel Dodds was the highlight of the section which was titled ‘Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso.’ The world-renowned violinist started on a low pitch and gradually transformed to higher notes. The continuous glides of his strings created a unique experience.
The Australian-born musician Daniel performed his first concerts at the age of five. His gradual progression was made under world-renowned musicians such as Gunars Larsen and Keiko Wataya. The award-winning violinist later became a member of the Festival Strings Lucerne and the artistic director of the renowned chamber orchestra.
Caroline Meng, the mezzo-soprano singer, was the attraction of second performance. She lined up with other musicians to sing the Arias from Carmen.The most sought-after face in Mezzo-Soprano circles, Caroline is also part of the teaching team of the “Sotto Voce” Children’s Choir at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
Briger lined up his team after the interval for the final performance on Beethoven’s Symphony. The ensemble of musicians moved in tandem throughout the performance. Symphony No 7 includes Poco Sostenuto-Vivace, Allegretto, Presto- Assai meno presto and Allegro con brio. After getting a request from the audience, Briger performed an additional single in the end.
Earlier, considering the devastating havoc made by the flood, the orchestra has decided to contribute a part of the revenue to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF) apart from their contribution to the Centre for Autism India, Tiruvalla.
AWO which was formed in 2011 at Sydney is a brainchild of Alexander Briger. The team had performed in India in 2015 under the aegis of music maestro Zubin Metha.The event which was organised with the support of many sponsors has witnessed high profile guests including Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran, singer K S Chithra, Vijay Yesudas and many among others.