Beth Taylor & Marcia Hadjimarkos - Friday 3rd October 2025

What a great concert we had to start off our season! I was so glad that I made the effort to brave the storm on Friday night. The audiences (some from as far away as Edinburgh) were rewarded with an extraordinarily high standard of concert by Mezzo Soprano Beth Taylor from Glasgow, and American pianist Marcia Hadjimarkos  who is now based in France. The two had come to Kelso especially.  Beth en route from recording in London with the Academy of Ancient Music, to Los Angeles this week for 4 concerts with conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the Walt Disney Concert Hall! Marcia had flown in from France for the concert.
 
Beth blew us away, first with her very enthusiastic Intro; she really wanted to sing to us! And then her voice…… It filled every corner of the octagonal church; not a warbly vibrato, just full of character. One is reminded that singing of this quality and powerful emotion is only experienced live. The lucky audience were treated to a mezzo with a unique lower register reminiscent of Janet Baker especially in Britten’s “Oh Wally Wally”; quite out of this world. “My Logan Love” by Hamilton Harty was wonderfully atmospheric In the famous acoustics of our octagonal church. You could hear a pin drop!
It was a varied, expansive and entertaining programme of German, French, Irish and English songs. As the music moved from stillness to humorous to tragic to just magical.  Marcia accompanied with real style and sensitivity throughout.
 
Sets of lesser known songs of Haydn and Beethoven sung by an up-and-coming star remind me that whether the performers or music are familiar or unfamiliar, one can always rely on KMS concerts to delight!
 
How we manage to attract such international stars is amazing. If Kelso still wants to be a destination for the best in musical performances, people must come along to these concerts.
 
And the tickets are so reasonable.