Page 63 - Coverage Book_Aurora Orchestra Autumn 2020

11 September 2020

Proms 2020 Live: Aurora

Orchestra / Collon @ Royal

Albert Hall, London

by Barry Creasy

Barry Creasy continues our coverage of the live BBC Proms.

Aurora Orchestra & Nicholas Collon (Photo: Chris Christodoulou)

Beethoven’s increasing deafness is, along with his irascible character, one of
those Ladybird-book facts that everyone knows, and reminding audiences
of this disability through a piece of music presents a challenge to any

composer. Richard Ayres (each of whose works simply bears a number) is
himself losing his hearing, and rose to this challenge in a very personal way
with No. 52, given its world première at Thursday evening’s Prom by
Aurora Orchestra under Nicholas Collon. Taking its inspiration from