The opening concert of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s open air Festival of Orchestra worked extremely well despite the odds. Rows of level chairs on grass, the strong possibility of inclement weather, and the problems of miking strings all work against the idea but all in all everything went according to plan. Generally the acoustics were good. The occasional breeze blew the signal off course but overall the sound quality was pleasant, with strings presented with more than expected warmth.

Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s Festival of Orchestra. Photo © Claudio Raschella

The program was well devised to appeal a large and non-specialist audience with an emphasis on dance and American modernism. As always Guy Noble proved to be a witty host and led fine, upright performances with the right amount of swing and sharp rhythmic edge. Events got under way with a short work, Fly Onward, Fearless Ones by the Melbourne-based Amy Jørgensen, a composer who has undertaken the writing of many film scores. The large, lush string melodies associated with the genre took pride of place after a series of punctuating dissonant chords, to finish up with Philip...