Watkins is a well-known cellist whose conducting career has taken off in recent years.
On the surface of it, Haydn's symphonies are staple items of orchestral repertoire, but each is unique in the demands it makes of an orchestra. Haydn's inventiveness is on show from the very opening, with a slow introduction giving way to an intricate presto. Throughout, Watkins gave a strong sense of direction for the piece, although occasional gestures were less than clear in tricky transition passages. The Millennium Forum is not a hall designed for acoustic music and the sound is dry and a little uninspiring at first.
The evening's soloist was violinist Jennifer Pike, playing Mozart's Concerto No 5 in A. She plays with quiet confidence, care and great intelligence. Her intonation was remarkably true, and her phrasing liquid and seamless. One could argue that the approach was too legato, but when you have such flawless bow technique, long smooth phrasing is a given, and every lift of the bow had meaning. This was a wonderful performance.
A new work by Frank Lyons followed the interval, a Radio 3 commission following the stipulation that the piece had some connection to Mozart. Lyons decided to also link his music to Frank Zappa, not a particularly logical juxtaposition, unless you're thinking of the movie Mozart of Amadeus. The result was challenging to start with but eventually yielded an enjoyable and listenable work. The orchestra's response to the rhythmic intricacy of the structured sections was crisp and positive.
The concert continued with Hindemith's delightful Five Pieces for Strings. This was a careful and characterful performance with the strings of the Ulster Orchestra fully engaged and playing very well indeed, Paul Watkins hitting his stride and conducting with great clarity and a collaborative feel. Leader David Adams approached the solo section with vigour and customary panache.
The concert finished with Prokofiev's Classical Symphony, a programme choice linking the end of the concert with the beginning. Prokofiev's inspiration for this work was the style of Haydn's symphonies. This is an attractive, well-known work and it was played with some style. This week's Invitation Concert is in the Island Arts Centre, Lisburn on Friday at 8pm. The programme includes works by Mozart, Stravinsky and Falla and features a new work by Rachel Holstead. Tickets are free, phone the BBC Ticket Line on 08703331918.
Music lovers in Londonderry can hear the Ulster Youth Orchestra in the Millennium Forum this Thursday night at 7.45 pm. They're playing Lutoslawski's Concerto for Orchestra and the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique under conductor André De Ridder. As ever, this is a chance to hear the Province's best young players in a programme that pulls no punches. They are repeating the concert in Belfast at Clonard Monastery, also at 7.45pm. Tickets from the Millenium Forum 02871264455 and the Grand Opera House 02890241919.
Andrea Rea