Four stars
Jeffrey Sharkey, for those who do not know, is the new principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, having succeeded trumpeter John Wallace in the post. Sharkey, who gave his introductory presentation and performance on Friday, seems a quiet, modest, rather serious, gentle-speaking character.
Or he did, until his very last number as pianist, where he was joined by RSNO principal flautist Katherine Bryan in a performance of Claude Bolling's jazz-inspired Suite for flute and piano, a pastiche-type piece that helped itself to every style en route, from Baroque to Brubeck, with complete annexation of the iconic rhythm of Take Five.
But the two musicians did a seventies mock-up of the piece, with Bryan, who of course would have looked good if she'd come on in a bin bag, done up to the eyes in the full hippie kit, with the flares and the beads, while Sharkey chose a smile and a purple velvet suit, which probably got assaulted by his dogs when he got home. With bass and drums, the music was fun, the sartorial taste suitably execrable.
Earlier, we saw three faces of Sharkey the light-fingered, articulate pianist: as sensitive accompanist to a singer, in a selection of Barber's warm songs, richly-voiced by soprano Julia Daramy-Williams; we also saw him as a discreet and responsive chamber ensemble musician, in a performance of Faure's First Piano Quartet, with musicians including SSO principal viola Scott Dickinson, where balance of textures, especially between piano and strings, was clearly a priority; and we also saw him, of course, in his role as duo partner with Katherine Bryan. More soon of the new American boss, no doubt.
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