The Kinshasa Symphony Orchestra, founded 20 years ago, visited the UK for a four-concert tour. We were invited to join them for the final concert in Bristol, in the finale of Beethoven 9.
They brought their own strong choir with them, whom we heard in some Congolese sacred pieces. We also heard a couple of movements from a symphony by a member of the orchestra; these felt rather more like part of a suite. The European pieces were Finlandia, the last two movements of the Symphonie Fantastique (a few days after I last heard it!) and the Beethoven (just the last movement was performed); these pieces were conducted by Jamie Phillips, the Congolese ones by Armand Diangienda.
Colston Hall was almost full (and it seats some 2000!) and the audience was not only a bit younger and more ethnically diverse than some we perform to, but also contained a number of Bathonians I recognised. In my experience it takes something a bit special to lure people over from Bath to concerts in Bristol, even if the concert is well publicised in Bath (someone had got to my local deli with flyers before I did!). Something to reflect on if getting to choir practices and concerts proves to be awkward or inconvenient – these players and singers face far greater obstacles.