Heartsprings/British Heart Foundation Concert

Elgar Serenade for Strings in E minor
Kufu ‘Escape from Buenos Aires’
Villa Lobos ‘Bachianas Brasileiras No.5
Saint-Saens Carnival of the Animals
etc

performers from the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, ENO Orchestra and the BBCSO etc/Tom Hammond
St Bartholomews Church, Sydenham

Heartsprings is a fascinating initiative set up by professional musicians living in south London in support of the British Heart Foundation. This charity concert, organised by conductor Tom Hammond, violinist Sali Wyn Ryan and double bassist Cathy Colwell, was a family event made possible by support from local businesses and the generosity of all the musicians who took part.

The whole programme was thoroughly entertaining. The main event was Saint-Seans’ Carnival of the Animals with poems by Roger McGough read by Simon Oliver, a wonderfully exuberant performance absolutely true to the sense of fun and caricature described by the composer. The performance of ‘The Elephant’ was the runaway highlight of the evening with a total of thirteen double basses playing simultaneously. That has to be some kind of record.*

The evening was a fantastic success and the children at the concert enjoyed the more serious programming of the first half every bit as much as the riotous second half. It was a heart warming example of how music can bring communities together to celebrate the joy of shared experience and work together for a greater good.

Daire Halpin

.* Yes - the Venezuelan Orchestra fields 12 basses ! [Editor}