This year’s East Lothian Showcase Concert took place last night in the Brunton Hall, Musselburgh. The evening showcases, to a packed house, the inter-school String, Wind, Jazz, Percussion & Guitar Ensembles.
I have to confess to loathing the acoustic of the Brunton Hall which constantly threatens to undermine the many, many hours of work put in by guitar pupils, as it’s virtually impossible for them to hear one another. Rhythmic cues necessary for timing are often inaudible as, for example, a cough by one member of the audience reverberates as loudly as the sound of 40 guitars. Our preference is the magnificent acoustic of Musselburgh Grammar School’s hall, where the event has been hosted in years when the Brunton Hall was mercifully unavailable.
That said, tragedy was averted for another year and the pupils turned in a commendable performance. You can hear mp3s of the East Lothian Guitar Ensemble’s contribution to this year’s event on the East Lothian Guitar Ensemble page.
Other ensembles seem to thrive in this acoutic. The magnificent Wind Ensemble nearly took the roof off!
I thoroughly enjoyed the concert again this year; fantastic performances all round and a credit to everyone’s hard work. I think the wind band has the advantage of being able to drown out random audience participation! It is a truly awful hall, though. Not only are the acoustics dire but it is impossible for the audience to see any of the musicians. Even the percussionists, who were raised above the general level of proceedings, hid behind their music stands. And do you think, next year that the various conductors might, just might, introduce their ensembles and the pieces they’re playing and perhaps even introduce the soloists? The bit of presentation we did get for the wind ensemble really lifted that section of the concert.
Hi GPM
Thanks for your comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the concert and I’m relieved to know that my complaints about the acoustic are not a symptom of over-sensitivity.
I think the reason there is not more vocal introduction is to avoid that sinking feeling people get when someone reads aloud a handout they’ve just distributed on a course. The info is in the programme and merely duplicating it can feel a little redundant. The LSO don’t say much in their concerts 🙂