St Swithin’s Concert is an immersive and captivating experience, featuring the Symphonic Wind Band, Georgian band and Symphony Orchestra from Bath Spa School of Music and Performing Arts. Set in an 18th century church, the setting and acoustics are stunning. The musicians demonstrate intuitive and unified playing and witnessing the intimate relationship between conductor Roger Heaton and the orchestra is very absorbing. The carefully selected programme delivers a good contrast of repertoire, including global pieces such as ‘Music for Prague’ (1968) as well as those that are close to home, such as I Will Lament and Love (2018) honoured to those who lost their lives in the Majory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting last year. The musicians show a love and passion when playing, and equally the music has a powerful way of making you empathise with it no matter what the emotion. This evening of music solidifies the fact that there’s nothing like watching a live orchestra.

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Hannah Carney