Please
note, this report was written for the Aled Jones Fan Club and therefore
concentrates on Aled himself and his role in the Tsunami relief
concert, especially as he had been asked to go out to Sri Lanka by SOS
villages - for whose benefit the concert was held - to make a film for
the concert. For this reason it does not claim to be an objective
report, giving equal report time to all artists. A screen had been
placed in the Hall over the stage, and the film was shown in two parts
on this screen. A description of the film follows the report on the
concert.
The comments about Aled’s wife Claire were because, at
that point, she was expecting their second child at any time (he was
born a week later). Emilia, mentioned in the film report, is their
daughter.
One fabulous, enormous Hall, as anyone who
has been there will know, a darkened stage with one orchestra (the
English Symphony), and two spotlights on two cheeky chappy presenters
(Aled and Jamie Crick), fifteen acts plus their various backing groups
(Aled had his Angels, Jon Christos had Jennifer Pike and Alan Gregson,
Julian Lloyd Weber had his Bossonova band and Russell Watson had a
choir of twelve), with all the complications of manoeuvring people and
instruments on and off-stage – and you may have some idea of the
complexity of organising ”Classic Response”. We were informed that not
only had the musicians given their services free, but every one at the
Albert Hall, from the stage-hands to the ice-cream sellers also.
The
Hall was not absolutely full, which was a shame, and the audience, were
not, to be honest, very responsive to the presenters at the beginning
(or so it seemed up in the circle). Aled’s quips – his comment on
Claire sitting at home with her legs crossed, his questions as to
whether anybody had seen him on tour, his warble of “Walking in the
Air” and stage pose from Strictly Come Dancing – it would have been
nice if there had been a little more of a giggle! But things gradually
improved as the evening went on.
I, unfortunately, could not
get a programme – we arrived by 7.15. but they had already sold out up
in the circle. I did see one however; they were entirely composed of
articles on each performer, with no actual programme of what each would
perform, so it is difficult to list the pieces played and sung. Aled
had a page about himself as a performer, and then a couple of pages in
the programme were about his visit to Sri Lanka, with pictures.
We
started with the English Chamber Orchestra playing Beethoven’s
Prometheus Overture, and then our presenters for the evening, Aled and
Jamie Crick, came on together. They were very much a double act,
sometimes both on together, sometimes one or the other introducing the
next act. Jamie introduced Aled in the fashion we are all used to now –
references to “Walking in the Air” and then to Joseph, Songs of Praise,
Strictly Come Dancing…. He also said that Aled was very gallant to be
there that night, as Claire was in hospital. Aled corrected him saying
that they had been to the hospital that morning, but she was now home,
sitting with her legs crossed (I think I had heard that one before!).
Jamie added: “ Every time Aled goes off stage he rushes to telephone
home! “
Aled was dressed in a black suit with an open,
tie-less white shirt. Pictures of him and of the other artists can be
found at:
http://www.filmmagic.com/ItemListing.aspx?cgl=108896&evntI=0
After
a little speech about the SOS villages, Aled introduced the first act –
the Opera Babes (Rebecca Knight and Karen England), both dressed in
white, followed by Emma Johnson, clarinettist. The most noticeable
thing about Emma for me was the vast range she could get out of her
clarinet!
Jamie introduced the Celtic tenors, who informed us
that their second song was “the most beautiful song in the world” – it
turned out to be Danny Boy.
And then came Keedie, dressed, as
the pictures show, in pink with hair to match! She certainly did have a
fabulous voice! As she left the stage she received a real hug from Aled
– who hastily explained to the audience that they had just been on tour
together.
Aled then introduced “Bond”, a quartet of 2 violins,
viola and cello, playing a sort of jazz cum classics, who had just
recently returned from touring Australia, said Aled.
And then
at last we came to, for us, the best bit – Aled himself singing,
introduced, of course by Jamie. He was backed by his Angels, harp and
all. He did, indeed, sing “Did you not hear my lady?” and his second
song was a “Watching the White wheat, sung in Welsh, which it is
understood, Aled states is his favourite A lovely performance - no need
to comment further.
This was followed by the film (see
separate report), and a talk by Aled about sponsorship; and then the
last act before the interval was Julian Lloyd Weber and his Bossonova
Band.
After the interval two grand pianos were pushed onstage
for Cassie Yukawa and Rosie Chan, playing Paganini. Rosey had an
elaborate hair decoration jigging around on her head, which can be seen
in the photos! And then came Jan Christos singing to his own piano
accompaniment, with Jennifer Pike on violin and Alan Gregson.
Duel,
a great duo on violins, who apparently had been found busking on the
streets of Manchester, played with orchestra backing, and were very
charming. They were followed by the second part of the Sri Lanka film.
Amici
Forever were lovely, and in my opinion, Tsakane Valentino won the best
dress of the evening competition with her fabulous and elegant deep
musky pink dress, which she carried superbly!
G4 wowed the
audience with “Jerusalem” followed by Bohemian Rhapsody, and by now you
could feel the audience reacting much more (a bit late, perhaps!)
And
then Jamie introduced Russell Watson. He had earlier joked that
everyone, Aled and himself included were mucking about together in the
dressing room to the right of the stage, while Russell Watson was in
elegant solitude in the dressing room to the left…. True ? – who
knows?! Russell came on with his backing choir of twelve. .His voice
was indeed superb. He sang Panis Angelicus, left the stage to applause,
returned immediately to more applause, and then sang Nessun Dorme. He
almost received a standing ovation – well someone stood up! Russell
then again made an appeal for people to sponsor a child.
So was
that the end? – I am delighted to say “No”. Russell Watson was not the
final act, the peak of the evening. Aled came back on and said “We are
almost at an end” – and so we knew someone else would finish off the
evening. And the someone else, appropriately enough, as this was a
concert in aid of children, was Harry Sever, aged 14 and the chorister
of the year in 2003. Harry sang “Ave Maria”, a version I did not know,
but have found, via the Internet was by Tolga Kashif.
And at the end, Aled gave Harry a great big hug, a very fitting ending as the ex-treble hugged the present day one.
Classic Response Concert 31st March 2205 – Film from Sri Lanka
Aled
had, as we know, gone out to Sri Lanka in February 2005 for a few days
to make a film about the work of the SOS villages particularly in Sri
Lanka following the tsunami of Boxing Day 2004.
(www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/children-charity.htm)
address: SOS Children, St Andrew’s House, 59, St Andrew’s Street,
Cambridge SB2 3BZ) The film was shown in two parts during the Classic
Response concert. A screen had been erected above the orchestra, and
the whole concert was filmed and shown there live. Before the concert
began, however, stills from the film of some of the children were
displayed on the screen.
The first half of the film
was shown shortly before the interval. Aled had sung as the 8th
performer – see concert report – and this was followed by the first
part of the film, and then a little talk by Aled about his experiences.
The film showed some general views of the
devastated region, with Aled walking along streets, looking out at the
shattered villages, and talking to camera. He was then shown drawing
pictures with some children, and also playing football with the
children. He talked about the work of SOS, and how the organisation
tried to care for and provide substitute parents for the children who
has been orphaned – if I remember rightly, he said that over 50,000
children had lost their parents. As SOS already had villages in Sri
Lanka, and as none of the villages were, fortunately damaged, they were
able to step in speedily.
Each seat in the Hall
had a postcard tucked in the seat, asking for individuals to sponsor a
child. If any one is interested, I am sure the cards would be available
from the address – above. Aled said that he would be sponsoring a child
himself. He talked about a little girl of 7 who had nothing but the
clothes she stood up in and one little doll. He had come home to Emilia
and her (I think he said) over 60 dolls, and it had clearly affected
him a good deal.
The second part of the film came
halfway through the second half of the concert. We were shown more
details about the SOS villages, which I, personally, thought was better
– we have all already seen so many pictures of the devastation, and it
was more positive to see what SOS are actually doing. He was visiting
one of the SOS villages, talking with the children in the school.
Firstly he told them that he came from Wales, and asked if anyone knew
where that was? Hopeful question, but no-one did! And the other part of
this visit which was shown was Aled singing to the children – and at
the end they all laughed. Aled, of course, took this in the best
possible way, and in his talk with the concert audience after this part
of the film said that he was, at least, relieved that his efforts at
singing in the Albert Hall had not been greeted with laughter!
And he then finished with another appeal for sponsorship.
