A Christmas Concert 17th. December 2013

by Morris Bishop
(San Pedro de Alcantara)

There was standing room only….

….Because once again, the word has spread around Marbella that the Choir and Orchestra of the Collegium Musicum under the baton of their director of music, Annemarie Phillipps were giving a concert in the Iglesia De La Encarnacion

Works were mainly by European composers, with one exception, which was the opening movement from El Nacimiento by Ariel Ramirez who hails from Argentina. Two of the many highlights from the program were the Vivaldi Concerto for 2 trumpets and orchestra, with soloists Angel T. San Bartolome and Juan Carlos Jerez Gomez giving virtuoso performances, and the six dances from the Capriol Suit by Peter Warlock. Both these were ‘sans choir ‘ which gave the audience their chance to show there appreciation of music making to a very high standard.
The carols, many of them unknown to me, were by French, German, Spanish, Austrian, English and Scottish composers. The works from these last two were Holst’s ‘The saviour of the world is born’ , Pearsall’s ‘In dulci jubilo’, and a traditional Gaelic air
‘Child in a manger’. Two works from the pen of Spaniard Jose L. Blasco were particularly well received, as was that old perennial by Schubert, the 23rd psalm – ‘The lord is my shepherd’.

The musical arrangements are made to suit the ‘present’ orchestral mix, by the president of Collegum Musicum, Delyth Bressington , who would like it to be known that they warmly welcome new singers and musicians.
For more information go to their web site www.colmus.org

If a single word were to be used to describe the evening, it would be JOYOUS.
The epitome of which is evident, in my rather poor photo of Annemarie, at the end of the performance.
Morris Bishop