Christopher Blake, Oboist

I attended a BBC Summer Invitation Concert at the Whitla Hall in Belfast last night, the theme being the music of Ulster composers.

I think it was my first visit to the Whitla Hall, and I found it sufficiently comfortable and spacious; although I'm eagerly awaiting the grand re-opening of the rejuvenated Ulster Hall later this year.

I got a seat on the ground floor about six rows from the orchestra. The conductor was Brazilian - the BBC proudly proclaimed that we were in the presence of the Brazilian ambassador to Eire. The two soloists were Hugh Tinney and Christopher Blake: both were excellent.

I particularly enjoyed Mr Blake, who is the principal oboist in the Orchestra. He was outstanding. He played Orientale from three pieces by Sir Hamilton Harty and it lasted a mere six minutes (I could have listened to it much longer).

The first piece was a BBC Radio 3 world première by a Belfast composer called Stephen Gardner. It lasted five minutes which was four minutes 59 seconds too long for me; it was abominable and I did a crossword while it lasted. Ghastly stuff. The other pieces were all agreeable indeed.

I cannot sign off without a reactionary gripe: the casual dress of the orchestra. The men wore black trousers and black open-necked shirts. The traditional attire for leading orchestras has always been full evening dress - white tie. Perhaps this is too much to expect of them; nevertheless, they could, at least, wear dinner jackets and black tie. The way they dress down now is too egalitarian.