The ensemble came into existence through the relentlessly energetic efforts of two lions of the local music scene: Peter Sulski, former London Symphony member and current faculty member of the College of the Holy Cross and Clark University; and Ian Watson, organist extraordinaire in England and now director of St. Paul’s Cathedral.  Somehow these two leaders assembled the talent from professionals in the area and wunderkinds from Atlantic Union and the astonishing Burncoat Music Program, and with very short rehearsal time, blended them into a robust, committed, silken-toned chamber group equally at home in its program of baroque, classical and romantic compositions.

For the second half of the concert Ian Watson took over the conducting for the two Mozart symphonies, his 1st, written at age 8, and his 35th “Haffner,” Watson’s approach to Mozart is very robust and muscular.  Watson got crackling whiplash chords and carefully drawn melodic lines from the orchestra. This was Mozart that presaged Beethoven, performed with acute attention to detail and brilliantly executed precision.

In Europe recently there has been a resurgence of chamber orchestras. In fact, The Chamber Orchestra of Europe is now more costly to book than the Berlin Philharmonic, surely a profound sign of a sea change in musical tastes.

Through the brilliant efforts of leaders like Sulski and Watson with their Worcester Collegium, Central Massachusetts seems to have caught the wave of the future.

Worcester Telegram and Gazette June 2006