University of Leicester Orchestras' Spring Chamber Concert

The society has assembled an all-star team of musicians.

4.5/5

On Sunday, March 9th, I had the pleasure of attending the University of Leicester Orchestra Society’s chamber concert. With the weather finally tolerable for the first time in what feels like years, I thought it only fitting to go.

As an avid listener of classical music (my housemates will attest to how loudly I play Coates), I was incredibly excited to see what the University of Leicester had to offer in the way of live classical performance. They certainly did not disappoint.

What is a Chamber Concert?

For the uninitiated, let's start with the basics: what exactly is a chamber concert? A full orchestra is a grand affair, requiring plenty of space and coordination. But what if you're a renaissance-era aristocrat who wants to enjoy some beautiful music without having to deal with the faff of organising an entire orchestra? Simple—shrink the orchestra and bring it into your ballroom. And thus, chamber music was born. Of course, the history is a bit more complex than that, but the essence remains: chamber orchestras are smaller and more intimate than full orchestras. Think of it kind of like having jazz playing softly in the background during dinner—refined, elegant, and personal.

The Event

The programme featured a wide range of music—from Baroque to Neoclassical, from Vivaldi to Piazzolla—there was something for everyone.

Of course, I cannot possibly single out any one member of the orchestra, but of particular note was Purba Audhora’s vocal performance of Camille Saint-Saëns' Une Flûte Invisible. Her vocals absolutely blew me away. I’ve heard plenty of terrible singers in my time (having been in five bands, two duets, and having endured far too many karaoke nights), so trust me when I say, Purba is not one of them. Her voice was effortlessly clear yet rich with emotion, gliding through Saint-Saëns’ delicate melodies with a lightness that felt almost ethereal. I also must mention flutist Rebecca Orland, who's playing was crisp and clear.

Another striking piece from the programme was the oboe performance of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Waltz No. 2. With iconic and well-known pieces like this, there’s tremendous pressure to get every note right.

That pressure is only amplified in a small ensemble—this performance, in fact, was a duo. Yet oboists Remi and Eloise rose to the challenge with remarkable poise. Their phrasing was elegant, their tone rich and expressive, and their interplay seamless, capturing both the whimsy and the underlying melancholy of the waltz.

I’ll keep this short and sweet and say that, while I'm not particularly a fan of chamber orchestras, the UoL Orchestra held their own excellently. I will jump at the chance to attend another one of their concerts. The society has assembled an all-star team of musicians, and for a university that does not offer any music degrees, the level of talent and skill on display is breathtaking. I strongly urge everyone- even those who aren't necessarily into classical music- to see them.