A full house gathered beneath the stone vaults of St Andrew’s Church for Farnham Sinfonia’s spring concert.

Suspended above the orchestra were delicate fish sculptures by Richard Sharples, their shifting forms catching the light and quietly echoing the movement and rhythm of the music below.

The programme opened with Beethoven’s Creatures of Prometheus overture, conducted by Sacha Parker with infectious energy.

From the first bars the performance crackled with vitality, filling the church with a sense of creation and fire.

Seated unusually close to the orchestra, the experience felt immediate and intimate. One could see the musicians’ concentration, their quick exchanges with the conductor, and the physical effort behind each phrase.

It was a reminder that a concert begins long before the first note: in the materials of the world. Stone, wood and metal, shaped over centuries by makers and craftsmen, converge in a moment like this, brought to life by composers, performers and those who sustain the orchestra today.

Winter Remembered, featuring violist Vera Edgington and conducted by Matthew Taylor, offered a reflective contrast. Edgington’s warm, expressive tone unfolded beautifully in the resonant space.

The presence of composer David Matthews in the audience added a special note, as he warmly congratulated performers afterwards.

Schumann’s Cello Concerto followed, with Yoel Rubin delivering a lyrical and introspective performance of quiet assurance.

The second half was devoted to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2, its brightness and rhythmic energy re-energising the hall.

Matthew Taylor, conducting with expressive, almost sculptural gestures, drew intensity and precision from the ensemble.

The audience’s enthusiastic response confirmed the evening’s success: for a brief time, music seemed to rise from the very stone itself - a sculpture formed in time.

Claire Nelson

Farnham Sinfonia is now rehearsing for its upcoming summer concert at Bury Court Barn in Bentley on May 10 from 3pm to 4pm - the Barn Bar will be open from 2pm.

This year’s programme features Andante Festivo by Sibelius, Adagio and Fugue in C minor by Mozart, Violin Songs by Clara Schumann, Three Oboe Romances by Robert Schumann, Sospiri by Elgar and Serenade for Strings by Elgar.

For this concert they will be joined by two outstanding guest soloists - Clara-Sophia Wernig (violin) and James Turnbull (oboe).

Entry is free, with a suggested donation of £20 per person invited at the concert. Students and under-18s are not expected to make donations.

People can register for seats by visiting farnhamsinfonia.org.uk or emailing Roy, with their name and the number of seats required, at [email protected]

Founded in 2017 by conductor and composer Matthew Taylor, along with Leonie Anderson, John Horrocks and Diana Martin, Farnham Sinfonia has become one of the south’s leading concert societies.

The orchestra features distinguished musicians and rising stars - often alumni of the Yehudi Menuhin School - giving inspiring performances in an intimate setting.

​Artistic director Matthew Taylor, who has worked alongside Leonard Bernstein in New York, curates outstanding programmes that regularly attract sell-out audiences.

In 2025 the orchestra welcomed His Serene Highness Dr Donatus, Prince of Hohenzollern, as its president.