February Concerts by the Presidential Symphony Orchestra

By Heidi Trautmann

The introductory tour of the newly founded Presidential Symphony Orchestra, a new fact President Mustafa Akıncı is very proud of. To have good musicians firmly established in a proper frame with good educational background and regular practicing and presence in society. The first three appearances in public are planned for February 2016, the first one was yesterday on February 25, in the Atatürk Congress and Culture Centre of the Near East University and thanks to the large capacity of the auditorium many citizens could come and witness the presentation of the new musical body. The second performance is today, February 25, in Famagusta at the Rauf Denktaş Cultural Centre – with beautiful houses for concerts and theatre – and a third one is planned at the Middle East Technical University ODTÜ in Kalkanlı.

We were given a beautifully designed programme with details on the orchestra members with Ali Hoça as conductor and the soloists Ayşe Karaoğlan and Nihat Ağdaç, both violonists, first and second violin within the orchestra.

The programme was exquisitely put together:

-Tomaso Albinoni Adagio in G Minor for organ and strings

-Antonio Vivaldi

-Concerto for two violins in A NMinor Op 3, No. 8

-J. Sibelius Romance in C Majow

-W.A. Mozart Symphony No. 29 in A Major KV 201

Half the house was reserved for protocol and surprisingly all of the rows filled up in time, some ambassadors had come – not the German one as far as I could see – and all the rest of the seats were taken by people interested in music, and quite a big number of young people.

I counted eight or ten TV cameras, four of them positioned on stage which I found very disturbing, also that cameramen moved around behind the back of the performing musicians in their jump suits, as if they were in a fitness studio, also drinking from their water bottles. The media have their place on the sides of the stage or in front. You know, you go to a concert to not only hear the music but see the musicians perform, that is part of the fun.

I personally loved the Albinoni piece for organ and strings and later Jan Sibelius and Mozart; as an encore we heard – I think – some works by Ali Hoca.

The orchestra spoke with one voice and I appreciated the sensitivity for the music pieces that was shown. The soloists were very good, however, I think that the acoustics for violin soli are not good enough in that auditorium.

A precious evening. My congratulations, Mr President!

PS: If I were the organiser of concerts I would ask all guests to leave their electronic equipment at the entrance; it is quite disturbing to have some youths sit beside you incessantly sending messages.