The atmospheric Twente farmhouse De Ticheler in De Lutte - at the bottom of Paasberg mountain, embraced by centuries-old trees and Twente hospitality - provided the perfect setting for a musical get-together that enchanted until the last note.
The farmhouse was well filled with an attentive audience. There was that typical, expectant silence that comes only when people are willing to really listen. And the performers did not disappoint. What made the concert so special was the genuine passion the amateur singers brought. Their love for song was palpable, audible and sometimes even visible in small, moving moments of concentration and surrender.
That they are working hard on voice formation, breath support and stage presentation was shown by several surprising ‘outliers’ on the programme. For instance, sopranos Ypkje Grimm and Runak Sharaf made a big impression with theDuo des Fleursby Delibes - a performance so refined and smooth that one almost forgot that these were amateurs. Their witty and meticulously sungDuetto buffo di due gattiby Rossini struck a chord; a delightfully playful gem that elicited many smiles in the audience.
Baritone Charles Mol, certainly no stranger to the world of song, once again proved why he is so beloved. With his subdued yet expressive voice and a recitation bordering on the professional, he performed songs by Schubert and Tosti in a way that visibly touched the audience. EspeciallyIl pescatore cantaby Tosti seemed right up his alley: warm, lived-in and carried by a musicality that filled the room with a soft glow.
Not to be forgotten were the supporting pianists, including Caspar Rodijk and Els Cozijnsen, who lifted the singers with careful accompaniment and delicate musical colours, adding a professional sophistication to the whole. Their playing was not only supportive, but also formative - a foundation on which the vocals were allowed to shine richly.
At the end of the afternoon, the audience left the farm not only with beautiful music in their heads, but mostly with a warm feeling of connection. Because that is perhaps the essence of Friends of Song: amateur artists who share their love of music with others, not out of ambition, but out of a deeply felt desire to keep the beauty of song alive.
And so this Sunday proved once again that music, even when it comes from amateur angels and hands, can touch professionally - straight to the heart.
Bert Sies
