This first BSO Indoor Outdoor Festival seems to have hit all the right notes as a sell-out event under the roof of the Lighthouse.

Generating an almost alien atmosphere; the lemon-yellow sun gleaming from the north, the picnic parties resting on a field of artificial grass under a green glow, whilst we, up in the clouds, looked down from our comfortable seats succumbing to the somnambulistic sounds of Copland’s Appalachian Spring.

The other great difference was the audience; they ALL listened to the music. Certainly the BSO under conductor Matthew Wood were in sparkling form throughout with Gershwin’s Overture Girl Crazy providing a rousing opener.

George’s Rhapsody in Blue is not hot jazz, but under the fingers of soloist Michael McHale the cool colours were oh so beautifully painted. And his encore showcased his jazz piano in a stonking arrangement of Summertime, that great hit from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess which also featured in the in the orchestral suite.

Stewart Collins, always the amiable presenter, would have been given the boot for a wrong introduction, but as he’d brought his own Wellingtons (just in case!) we forgave him.

Bernstein’s brilliant Candide Overture and Gershwin’s An American in Paris brought the concert to an end though we were still charged with Walking the Dog and having a Hoedown. Phew!