UK based violinist Joo Yeon Sir made a thrilling debut at The Royal Festival Hall last night. “Lament for the Valley”, a short piece for violin and orchestra, was composed for her by Karl Jenkins as part of his 2015 Music Award, in association with Classic FM.
Conducted by Jenkins, Sir delivered an exhilarating, technically brilliant performance, with sustained, intense bowing on the very highest notes of the violin. You could believe it was birdsong rather than notes from her generously loaned Matteo Goffriller Venetian instrument. This new work might draw some comparisons with Vaughan Williams’ ‘The Lark Ascending’, and hopefully for this young (and also ascending!) artist will come to be known and loved by a very wide audience.
Joo Yeon Sir performs “Lament for the Valley” again on 3 July at the Royal Albert Hall in another all Karl Jenkins programme. Her concert diary affords several more opportunities to experience her brilliant and vital musicianship. She will be premiering another Jenkins work, “Chatterbox!”, at St John’s Smith Square on 22 May.
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The Lark Ascending with Hugh Bean as the soloist, one presumes.