Nicholas Freestone – young musician

Friday 3rd July, a notable day for many reasons.  The final day of the academic year at Ipswich School, where I finished year 12 by playing for the Prep School Final Assembly (also managing to knock the Chapel fire extinguisher down the organ loft stairs in the process – don’t ask!), the SSYO concert which included works by Sibelius, Beethoven and Matthew Curtis, but also the end of an era. 

Let me take you back 6 years to March 2003.  I was a young French horn player, still attending primary school and had been invited along to the South Suffolk Youth Concert Band by Sue Taylor.  Upon arrival, I met Tim and Frances for the first time, the horn section of the Band.  From then onwards we have always been the South Suffolk horn section.  We were disbanded for a time, as Frances moved up to the orchestra in September 2003, and Tim followed her a year later.  I “depped” at concerts a few times, before my full time arrival in January 2006.  The SSYO horn section was born.  We are all at a similar standard (all passed grade 8 with distinction), and get on very well.  There have been many in-jokes (Holton horn for the wind band!, mouth-piece dropping), laughs (transposition mix-ups in my first rehearsal for example) and some excellent playing.  For three and a half years this section was perhaps the strongest in the orchestra, and I greatly enjoyed my Friday evenings.  In September 2009 Tim and Frances will both move onto University, so the concert on 3rd July was to be our last together.

Proceedings began with Sibelius’ Finlandia Overture, fittingly including a big horn part.  The second piece of the first half was the first movement of Beethoven’s Eighth Symphony, conducted by Mrs Appleton in her final performance with the orchestra – it’s been excellent working with her.  Now is also a good time to say thanks to Mr Appleton for coming to play Fourth Horn in so many of our concerts.  After the interval, it was the main piece – Matthew Curtis’ Paths to Urbino Suite.  I really liked this, as it was so much fun to play, and so exposed.  I was lucky enough to be playing first in this and there were many solos.  None of them went too badly either, which was nice.  This was an excellent way for the horn section to bow out.  It seems strange to think that when I return to SSYO, it will be just me on the horn.  I’ve had such a good time over the last 6 years, and much of that it due to Tim and Frances – many thanks and best of luck for the future.  The end of an era.