I’ve never seen live classical music before, so when my friend invited me to watch her sing in the the university choir with the BBC Concert Orchestra, I jumped at the opportunity. The composition in question was, Carl Orff’s’ Carmina Burana which I will confess, I had never heard of before. But after listening to the soundtrack, I instantly recognised one of the first songs. Often used in dramatic scenes in film and television, O Furtuna was an amazing dramatic piece to hear live. The BBC Concert Orchestra combined 200 strong choir from the University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University and Southwell Minster choristers made for a magical evening.
Like doing anything new, I suffered from the usual anxieties over what to wear and how to get there. I ended up settling on a black dress and traveling with a friend so for the most part, stress was removed so I could get on with a lovely evening.
The evening began with me and my friend catching the tram in from Beeston into the City Centre. We stopped for a quick evening hot chocolate before heading to the Royal Concert Hall in time for the doors to open.
As soon as the doors opened, we presented the door attendant with our tickets and made our way to our seats. I was so pleased with my seat. Second row from the front on Tier 1. It gave me the perfect view. While we waited for everyone else to get seated, we perused the programme and watched various people enter and exit the stage checking instruments, microphones, etc.
Finally, it was time for it to begin. The evening was being recorded to be aired on BBC Radio 3. I sat for a little while thinking about how nervous the choir must be but then remembered they would be thoroughly prepared! Both university choirs sang their own standalone piece giving us a taste of what was to come. Having never listened to live music to live music and not knowing what to expect, safe to say I was incredibly impressed.
Then came the main event: Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. It begun with a bang. The first piece, the recognisable O Furtuna. With a range of pitches, tempos and themes. The composition was incredibly entertaining and a privilege to listen too.
This concert was part of a programme of activities supported by the Universities for Nottingham partnership with the BBC Concert Orchestra and the orchestra’s residency at the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall. You can listen to the concert recording on BBC Sounds.
With a tram stop right outside and student tickets for as little as £5*, a visit to the Theatre Royal/Royal Concert Hall is an affordable evening out as a student. You can hardly go wrong.
From drama, musicals, comedy and classical music, there is something to suit everyone. I encourage anyone who is considering a trip to either the Royal Concert Hall or Theatre Royal to give it a go!
*Ticket Discounts for under 26’s and full-time students.