Todmorden orchestra is back!
A large audience welcomed back the orchestra with conductor Nicholas Concannon Hodges and leader Jonathan Whitehead. They began with Brahms’ vigorous “Academic Festival Overture” which climaxes with a students’ drinking song. In more serious mood, soloist Doug Badger gave a powerful and expressive performance of Elgar’s cello concerto, with its feeling of repressed sorrow. Finally came Dvorak’s expansive 9th symphony, “From the New World”. This was a triumph and had the audience cheering and clapping.