The Southern Pro Musica is a versatile professional orchestra performing in Southern England.
Recent press reviews demonstrate the wide range of choral and orchestral concerts undertaken to great critical acclaim.
Chichester Observer, June 2010:
Bach: Mass in B minor Chichester Singers Chichester Cathedral Saturday 19th June 2010
"The Chichester Singers captured the profound musical and dramatic qualities of Bach's acclaimed masterpiece, the Mass in B minor in their Cathedral concert. The Southern Pro Musica was up to its customary high standard of playing with some fine instrumental contributions, especially the trumpets. Jonathan Willcocks (conductor) achieved an immaculate balance, allowing the orchestra to excel where appropriate, greatly adding to the musical experience." Graham Hewitt
The News, Portsmouth, June 2010:
Handel: The Messiah Portsmouth Choral Union St Mary's Church, Portsea, Portsmouth Saturday 5th June 1010
"For
those who know and love Messiah, or
for any other music lover present for that matter, it was an evening of pure
delight from start to finish. After the
opening bars of the Overture, Southern Pro Musica’s account of the Fugue set
their own bench mark of incisive rhythmic momentum and clear articulation from
which they never deviated thereafter.
..... followed towards the end by
Edward Grint’s wonderfully uplifting ‘The Trumpet shall sound’, with virtuoso
trumpet soloist Fraser Tannock from Southern Pro Musica."
Paul Pilott
Petersfield Herald, May 2010:
Southern
Orchestral Concert Society
Petersfield Festival Hall
Soloists: James Oxley and Mark Kane
Saturday 22nd May 2010
"The May concert given by the Southern Pro Musica
was devoted to music written for String Orchestra. The highlight of the evening was a
performance of Benjamin Britten’s Serenade for tenor, horn and strings .....
Mark Kane set the twilight mood effectively in the opening
solo Prologue and the closing Epilogue which, in Peter Pears’ words, “winds the
work into stillness.” His superb horn playing was by turns deft, magical and
haunting. In Tennyson’s Nocturne, it was
bugle bright, but wonderfully rich and concentrated in Blake’s Elegy.
Souvenir de Florence was originally written by Tchaikovsky
for string sextet, but he was unhappy with the work and revised it considerably
for String Orchestra. ..... The work is dense and
passionate and the Southern Pro Musica, under Jonathan Willcocks’ fervent
direction, was invigorating and captivating.
The playing throughout was superb. I have never heard the first violins play
with such passion and commitment."
Ann
Pinhey
Petersfield Herald, March 2010:
Bach: B minor Mass Petersfield Festival Chorus Petersfield Festival Hall Saturday 20th March 2010
"The joyous outpouring of the Gloria, with blazing trumpets and timpani, was fervent, bright and confident. The exposed semiquaver passages were handled with clarity and conviction. They were guided, galvanised and inspired by
Paul Spicer. His exuberant, clear
gestured control of his singers and players - Southern Pro Musica, who gave
tremendous support throughout, with ravishing flute, oboe and horn obbligato
playing – was brilliant. He is to be
warmly congratulated on giving such a committed performance of this wonderful
work." Ann Pinhey
Chichester Observer, March 2010:
Chichester Singers Chichester Cathedral Saturday 13th March 2010
"Once again, around
100 elegantly-clad members dominated the nave of the Cathedral, on a
steeply-raked platform over the West entrance, and were straight away inspired
to generate an enthralling musical atmosphere by the conductor, Jonathan
Willcocks, who enthusiastically co-ordinated their choral fervour with the
sophisticated artistry of Richard Barnes – at the Cathedral chamber organ – and
the dynamic resonance of the Southern Pro Musica brass and percussion group." John Wheatley
Petersfield Herald, February 2010:
Southern Orchestral Concert Society
Petersfield Festival Hall
Soloist: Claire Seaton
Saturday 30th January 2010
"The extended violin solo in Beim Schlafengehen, played by Sophie Langdon, was sweetly evocative and Mark Kane's horn postlude was magical. In the final phrase of Im Abendrot, voice and orchestra achieved a hushed stillness and intensity. This was a heartfelt, deeply committed performance.
Brahms' 1st Symphony was given a warm, dramatic, spacious reading which brought out the work's lyricism as well as its weight. The rich lower strings, mellow woodwind, resonant brass, and soaring violins were magnificent. There was bold thrust given to the outer movements with plenty of power and impetus and urgent, crisply articulated rhythms. The inner movements brought relaxation and warmth. The violins played with extrovert passion in the slow movement and Keir Rowe's clarinet solo in the third movement was ravishing. The finale was a fitting culmination to the work. After the noble horn fanfare, the strings articulated their famous tune with gutsy bow contact."
Ann Pinhey
Chichester Observer, November 2009:
Chichester Singers Chichester Cathedral Saturday 14th November 2009
" With choral music by Mozart and Haydn, the Chichester Singers accompanied by The Southern Pro Musica under the masterly direction of Jonathan Willcocks scored another outstanding success with their Cathedral concert. Joined by a superb team of soloists, the Chichester Singers excelled in their
performance of Haydn's Missa in Tempore Belli (Mass in Time of War). The
Southern Pro Musica joyfully produced the timpani sections which inspired the
work's nickname Paukenmesse (timpani mass)." Graham Hewitt
Petersfield Herald, October 2009:
Southern Orchestral Concert Society
Petersfield Festival Hall
Soloist: Michala Petri
Saturday 24th October 2009
"The playing of the symphony was warm and committed and was most enjoyable. The turbulent first movement was played with drive and rhythmic energy which contrasted well with the relaxed slow movement. The finale was characteristic Haydn, fast and full of vitality.
.... The concert opened with Concerto Grosso No. 7 in C by Handel. There was crisp articulation and rhythmic resilience in the playing. The trio of soloists (Roger Garland and Jane Gomm, violins and Sophie McNestrie, cello) displayed refined transparency and technical skill which contrasted well with the broad sonority of the orchestra."
Ann Pinhey
Chichester Observer, July 2009:
Mendelssohn: Elijah Chichester Singers Soloists including Sir Willard White Chichester Cathedral Saturday 4th July 2009
"Led by the most impressive line of soloists, both the Singers and the Southern Pro Musica, under the confident, experienced baton of Jonathan Willcocks gave a distinguished and powerful performance. ... The Southern Pro Musica were on top form in the demanding string, brass and drum sections making this masterpiece spring into life as if for the first time."
Graham Hewitt
Petersfield Post, May 2009:
Southern Orchestral Concert Society St Peter's Church, Petersfield Petersfield Chamber Choir Saturday 30th May 2009
"The small string orchestra provided atmospheric support, with Roger Garland relishing his expressive violin solos. ... the orchestra responded with crispness and variety of colour, qualities that they continued to bring in good measure to the biggest work in the programme, Handel's Dixit Dominus." Philip Young
Petersfield Post, Jan 2009:
Southern Orchestral Concert Society Petersfield Festival Hall Soloist: Nick Daniels Saturday 24th January 2009
"The anguish of the slow movement of Bach's Concerto in A was highlighted by the joyous outer movements, and urged on by the soloist at the outset, the Southern Pro Musica provided a wonderfully lilting accompaniment to the finale. In the hands of Jonathan Willcocks the orchestral items were a joy too. Schubert's Third Symphony had a freshness and verve entirely appropriate to its youthful charm, and was greatly enhanced by Keir Rowe's clarinet, whilst the more powerful, though still affable Clock Symphony of Haydn made a rousing conclusion. Taken as a whole, I feel that this was by a long way the most successful concert of the Society's season ..." Tom Muckley
Petersfield Herald, Jan 2009:
Southern Orchestral Concert Society Petersfield Festival Hall Soloist: Nick Daniels Saturday 24th January 2009
"Schubert's 3rd Symphony ... The two gentler middle movements were more relaxed with some beguiling clarinet and oboe solos. The evening ended with Jonathan Willcocks directing a lively, affectionate performance of Haydn's Clock Symphony. Phrases were eloquently moulded in the ideally paced slow movement and the outer movements were energetic and suitably high-spirited." Ann Pinhey Chichester Observer, Nov 2008:
Chichester Singers Chichester Cathedral Saturday 15th November 2008
