Kammerphilharmonie Europa at Whiting Bay – with hot soup

On Sunday, March 24th, when Arran was in the grip of the power cut, this magnificent group came off the ferry as promised despite a communication blackout. They carried their instruments (including a double bass and a harpsichord) into a Whiting Bay Hall that had turned into a community refuge serving hot drinks and food, and happily pushed three tables together to enjoy bowls of tasty soup. They then changed into evening dress and put on a classical concert that staggered everyone.

The programme began with Vivaldi’s Concerto for Violin No 4, La Stravaganza, giving a first taste of the liveliness and superb professionalism of the group, and then came Ponchielli’s glorious Concerto in F major for Trumpet and Orchestra, featuring Kirill Gusarov as a brilliant soloist. A highlight was Bach’s delectable Double Concerto for Two Violins in D. Pavel Zuzanski and Fedor Roudine wove the sinuous lines together with breath-taking skill, taking the second movement with a voluptuous slowness that held everyone spellbound.

In the second half, Corelli’s Concerto Grosso Op 6 No 4 in D was followed by Fauré’s lovely Pavane Op 50 and Grieg’s immensely tuneful Holberg Suite Op 4. Summoned back by a standing ovation from the lucky few who were there (many being shut away behind snow-blocked roads) the group further delighted everyone with a Piazzolla tango and an exuberantly jazzy piece.

Loading instruments back into the hired bus, the players passed totally gob-smacked workers at the counter of the mobile burger van, one of whom said, ‘I can’t believe this. Some guy turning up with a concertina for a bit of entertainment, fine, but in the middle of all this, you put on a full-scale symphony concert?’ She shook her head in astonishment.

But that’s Arran for you.