Dacorum Symphony Orchestra Celebrates its 40th Anniversary in Berkhamsted

The evening of Saturday 20th October saw the Dacorum Symphony Orchestra celebrate its 40th Anniversary at a concert in the splendid Centenary Theatre of the Berkhamsted Collegiate School. The DSO evolved from the Hemel Hempstead Orchestra founded in 1972 by Thomas Loten, who also founded the Dacorum Sinfonietta in 1974 to concentrate on chamber music and smaller works, at the same time giving opportunities to young local players and enabling concerts to be performed in the many smaller halls across Dacorum.

The varied programme was performed under the baton of Thomas Loten, founder, musical director and conductor of the orchestra. The major work of the evening was the Clarinet Concerto in A Major by Mozart and the concert concluded with Elgar's Enigma Variations - the same piece performed at the opening concert of the orchestra in Hemel Hempstead on November 17th, 1972.

The soloist for the clarinet concerto was the young Timothy Orpen, whose confident style betrayed an accomplished and disciplined mastery of his instrument and a sensitive interpretation of the music. His fluid stance and lively movement while playing revealed a pleasure and delight in what he was doing. One suspects that in less formal surroundings he could be a mean jazz player!

His rapid, bright rendering of the cascades of notes in the allegro movement and his full and fluent playing of the slower and more lyrical passages in the adagio delighted the audience. He stormed through the lively (and rather jolly!) final rondo and the concerto ended with tumultuous applause and great appreciation.

The programme ended with the Enigma Variations, always a favourite with English audiences, and an echo of the origins of the DSO.

Finally we must record the recognition of very many that Hertfordshire owes a tremedous debt of gratitude to Thomas Loten who has made an enormous contribution to the musical life of the county over nearly half a century.

Thank you, Thomas!