THE reputation of the Ten Tors Orchestra obviously precedes it. St Peter's Church, North Tawton, on a stormy November evening, was full of people eager to hear the members play.
From the opening bars of Handel's 'Entrance of the Queen of Sheba' it was evident we were not going to be disappointed.
This was followed by Roger Bolton's new work 'New Dawn — Dartmoor Sunrise'.
This is a work commissioned by the Ten Tors Orchestra, and is a very atmospheric piece with a strong sense of place.
The final piece before the interval was Bach's cantata 'Ich Habe Genug' for which the orchestra was joined by Damian Thantrey.
He has a rich, beautifully modulated voice which was equally at home with the Bach, or Vaughan Williams' Songs of Travel which followed the interval.
After this we heard the lovely Holberg Suite by Grieg and the concert was brought to a rousing conclusion with Handel's Concerto Grosso Opus 3, which provided solo material for several members of the orchestra.
Under its conductor Simon Ible the orchestra was in fine form.
You can hear them again in Tavistock Parish Church on December 23 when the Bolton piece can be enjoyed in its original form rather than the 'touring' version for string orchestra.
FELICITY BARNABY