Christopher Adey presided over yet another marvellous concert in the final offering of the season by this well-loved Norwich-based orchestra who have notched up 41 years on the concert platform while Maestro Adey has been associated with them for the past three decades.

And the programme found great favour with an appreciative audience not least by the inclusion of a rarely-performed work by EJ Moeran, who grew up in Norfolk. His father was vicar at Wroxham and Bacton was home.

Moeran’s three-movement Sinfonietta – and underrated work of genius, I feel! – was pure delight from start to finish with the strings of the Academy showing their mettle in some fine and intricate playing while in the last movement the brass section illuminated the piece to the finish. Anyone coming to this work – which is approachable, melodic and uplifting – for the first time will wonder I should imagine why it is not more often performed.

Tchaikovsky’s Rococo variations followed with the Belgian-born cellist David Cohen (Yehudi Menuhin School trained) putting in an effortless and commanding performance producing an amazing sound from a 1735-made instrument by Dominicus Montagnana. The work’s a sparkling kaleidoscope comprising technical fireworks and expressive lyricism which ran through each of the seven vividly-contrasted variations.

The audience took Cohen to their hearts and he returned their complement by playing a short encore by Pablo Casals – Song of the Birds. Based on a popular Catalan folk-song, it became a signature piece of this great Catalan-born cellist in recognition of the plight of refugees from around the world.

The concert concluded with a stirring performance of Beethoven’s first symphony with Maestro Adey gathering round him at the front of the stage the woodwind section giving them a more prominent voice against the aggressive-sounding strings that marked Beethoven’s work as a force to be reckoned with.

Christopher Adey presided over yet another marvellous concert in the final offering of the season by this well-loved Norwich-based orchestra who have notched up 41 years on the concert platform while Maestro Adey has been associated with them for the past three decades.

And the programme found great favour with an appreciative audience not least by the inclusion of a rarely-performed work by EJ Moeran, who grew up in Norfolk. His father was vicar at Wroxham and Bacton was home.

Moeran’s three-movement Sinfonietta – and underrated work of genius, I feel! – was pure delight from start to finish with the strings of the Academy showing their mettle in some fine and intricate playing while in the last movement the brass section illuminated the piece to the finish. Anyone coming to this work – which is approachable, melodic and uplifting – for the first time will wonder I should imagine why it is not more often performed.

Tchaikovsky’s Rococo variations followed with the Belgian-born cellist David Cohen (Yehudi Menuhin School trained) putting in an effortless and commanding performance producing an amazing sound from a 1735-made instrument by Dominicus Montagnana. The work’s a sparkling kaleidoscope comprising technical fireworks and expressive lyricism which ran through each of the seven vividly-contrasted variations.

The audience took Cohen to their hearts and he returned their complement by playing a short encore by Pablo Casals – Song of the Birds. Based on a popular Catalan folk-song, it became a signature piece of this great Catalan-born cellist in recognition of the plight of refugees from around the world.

The concert concluded with a stirring performance of Beethoven’s first symphony with Maestro Adey gathering round him at the front of the stage the woodwind section giving them a more prominent voice against the aggressive-sounding strings that marked Beethoven’s work as a force to be reckoned with.

Tony Cooper – EDP