FROM MOZART TO MIDNIGHT SPIRES: #CONCERTLAB 360° DELIVERS MUSICAL BRILLIANCE BUT FALLS SHORT ON IMMERSION

By Molly Hayes | Molly Hayes ⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

I’ve always been jealous of people with musical talent and those proficient at orchestral instruments are no exception. Going into ConcertLab: 360° at the beautiful Sinfonia Smith Square, I was looking forward to hearing the melodic sounds of the orchestra and the accomplished musicianship on display was definitely impressive.

One of my favourite moments of the evening was the performance of Mozart’s ‘Allegro’ from Serenade in C minor K.388, which was beautifully played. I also enjoyed the string quartet’s ethereal rendition of Midnight Spires by Grace Evangeline Mason, which transported me to the midnight setting it was inspired by. Another highlight was the penultimate performance of Avant les clartes de l’aurore (Before the light of dawn) by French composer Camile Pepin. Skillfully conducted by Antoine Veillerette, I found it incredibly uplifting and it was refreshing to hear the work of an international composer.

As #ConcertLab is described as an ‘immersive concert experience’, I was excited and curious to see what this entailed. The moment I felt the most connected and immersed was the final performance of Aulis Sallinen’s Sunrise Serenade, where the orchestra surrounded the audience. Being amongst them as they played was sublime and I wish there had been more pieces played like this.

While I felt engaged with the final performance of the evening, the remainder of the immersive experience did not feel as impactful and, at times, was slightly disjointed. The overarching theme of light was evident in the choice of pieces, and Charlie Lee-Potter’s poetry depicting the journey from light to dark was read aloud in between the orchestral performances. Personally, I found this hard to connect with and felt the atmosphere #ConcertLab were seeking to create didn’t translate as effectively as intended, which sometimes overshadowed the musical talent. #ConcertLab: 360° also overran the advertised hour-long running time by around 20 minutes and a couple sitting near me even decided to leave before the final piece, which was a shame.

Overall, I deeply appreciated the gifted orchestra musicians, whose dedication to their craft was apparent. Like I said before, talent like theirs has always filled me with envy! However, I felt the potential to utilise these skilled musicians and provide fuller immersion among the audience could have been elevated further for a more powerful experience.

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Photo Credit: Sophie Oliver