SQUARE Chapel Orchestra's virtuosity illuminated the season's first concert under motivating conductor Lawrence Killian.

From its stately Overture, smoothly segueing into the bright, upbeat fugue, serenely beautiful Air on a G String, courtly gavotte, sprightly bouree to the foot-tapping gigue, Bach's Orchestral Suite in D brought out the best in all sections of the orchestra.

Rhythmic underpinning from cellos and basses, warm contributions from the violas, sweet-toned violins, nimble woodwinds and joyous brass contributed to a splendid performance.

The orchestra was equally sensitive to the stylistic demands of Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, atmospheric settings of six poems on the theme of night. Matthew Moss, tenor, impressed with his beautiful tone and impressive mastery of Britten's vocal idiom. Bob Shaw's creepy, melancholy horn enhanced the mystery of this music.

The brilliant orchestration of Mendelssohn's Fourth Symphony dispelled all this gloom, flooding with sunshine and joy.