Nayland College Music Teacher Nigel Weeks was featured recently in the Nelson Mail in a review of a concert given by the Nelson Symphony Orchestra. The article has been reproduced below.

REVIEW: The title of this concert belies the impressive quality of every aspect of what may well be the best concert ever given by the Nelson Symphony Orchestra.

Under the baton of conductor Nigel E Weeks every section of the orchestra from strings to woodwinds to brass to percussion played with impeccable skill and finesse.

In particular the brass section was a revelation with three outstanding trombones, two impeccable trumpets and a tuba player of undoubted skill and ability. With foundations like this the orchestral structure is bound to stand tall and strong.

Add to that the soaring soprano of Alison Cormack, the sonorous sound of the Nelson Male Voice Choir and a genuine anvil and the result was, in a single word, stunning.

The programme consisted of 14 short excerpts from popular operas by composers including Rossini, Verdi, Gounod, Catalani, Mascagni and Wagner, with which every member of the audience would be familiar. How utterly comfortable!

Cormack sang each of her three arias to her full potential with confidence and impressive technique. Her beautiful voice is capable of full operatic expression, enhanced by the absence of the self-aggrandisement often displayed by talented singers who know they are good.

And it was an added pleasure to watch conductor Weeks, in full evening dress with tails, bow tie and waistcoat, displaying a repertoire of involuntary, reflexive arm and body movement which no doubt contributed to the high level of synchrony achieved by all his musicians.

The audience left all the players and singers in no doubt that their performance this evening had hit the mark. Their applause continued long enough to entice the performers to have another go at "The Anvil Chorus".

Opera Mania, Nelson Symphony Orchestra, Nelson Male Voice Choir, NCMA, Saturday 22 September 2018