⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Usher Hall, Edinburgh
The NYO2 orchestra, a group of hugely talented young musicians from across the US, filled the Usher Hall with fresh energy and skill. Their playing had real polish, and there were moments where you forgot these performers are still in their teens.
The evening opened with Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1, with Alisa Weilerstein as soloist. Technically, it was a masterclass, but I’ll admit it left me cold. For all its complexity, I just couldn’t connect with it and found myself waiting for the second half. Luckily, Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony delivered in every way. It was bold, muscular and alive, and the orchestra played it with a conviction that made it the standout of the night.
But the real drama wasn’t just on stage. Behind me sat one of the orchestra’s parents who had apparently mistaken the Edinburgh International Festival for a village hall recital. Out came the phone, flash off but shamelessly snapping away through the concert, much to the horror of the more traditionalist crowd nearby. When challenged, she hissed, “I’ve flown half way around the world for this, if I want to take photographs, I will.”
Let’s pause there. Flying halfway around the world doesn’t grant you diplomatic immunity. It doesn’t entitle you to redecorate the rules of concert etiquette. And it certainly doesn’t mean the rest of us, who also paid to be here, should sit through your personal photo shoot. This isn’t Dylan’s school concert, ma’am. It’s the Edinburgh International Festival. Sit down, put the phone away and learn how to behave in a concert hall.
Thankfully, her antics didn’t spoil the music, which was excellent overall. Prokofiev soared, the orchestra impressed, and despite one rogue parent in the audience, it was a very strong evening at the Usher Hall.