Watts, Saint-Saëns, Coleridge-Taylor

Leslie Suganandarajah conducts Chineke! Orchestra in a programme of Coleridge-Taylor, Saint-Saëns and a world premiere by 19-year-old composer Tristen JT Watts.

Watts’ piece, Majestique – a rhythmically driven symphonic work which blends mainstream classical influences, particularly Beethoven and Mendelssohn, with a unique personal voice – opens the concert. It also marks Watts’ first orchestral piece to implement full sonata form and it, as its name suggests, is truly majestic.

The programme continues with Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony and sees William Campbell, usually a junior violinist with Chineke!, making his solo organ debut. This symphony integrates the grand sound of the organ with orchestral timbres, providing a stunning conclusion to a diverse and dynamic evening.

The evening concludes with Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Symphony in A minor – also written when the composer was aged 19. It’s a composition that seamlessly combines African and European musical traditions, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of its creator.