Hastings Philharmonic’s conductor Marcio da Silva presented a wonderful concert at Christ Church in St Leonards on Saturday February 10. His wife Aysen Ulucan, an emotive and sensitive violinist accompanied by Francis Rayner (piano) played Beethoven’s sonata for violin and piano in C minor.
Aysen from Turkey obtained her degree in Freiburg, Germany. She performs as a soloist or in trios and has appeared in Turkey, Brazil, France and UK. Marcio studied choral and orchestral conducting in France and obtained his Bachelor of Music in this genre also in Freiburg. He conducts several choirs, one of them in Hastings. But it is his baritone voice for which he is known by many and seems to give people the greatest pleasure. In the second half he sang no. 24 of Schubert’s Lieder from Winterreise Op.89 and in German. His diction was extraordinary and faultless, every word could be heard and understood Wilhelm Muller, who wrote the 24 poems on which the Lieder is based, conceived much of his verse as poetry for music and wrote in 1922 to a friend: “For indeed my songs lead but half a life, a paper existence of black and white, until music breathes life into them.” So it was fortunate that Schubert came across the cycle of poems in late 1926.
Francis is accomplished and appreciated, and accompanied Aysen and Marcio. He studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where he performed extensively as a soloist and chamber musician as well as in North America and Europe.
Christ Church has a rather large but beautiful interior which enhanced the musical experience. The church was built in 1875 and has no graveyard given that it is in a busy area (shops and living accommodation). It is accessible to locals and has space for helping the homeless and holding networking forums. There is another concert on Saturday, February 24 at 7pm given by the Hastings Philharmonic Chamber Choir and Baroque Ensemble with Marcio as conductor. (Vespa della Beata Vergine by Claudio Monteverdi). For further information please go to: www.hastingsphilharmonic.com
Photos: Heidi Foster