Gorton Philharmonic Orchestra

The Gorton Philharmonic Orchestra, Manchester (UK), an amateur symphony orchestra, was formed by the Gorton Philharmonic Society in 1854, three years before Manchester's Hallé Orchestra. It presents Subscription Concerts at the Forum Theatre, Romiley, Stockport and the orchestra now has a regular venue at Gorton Monastery for concerts in July and December each year. These are popular concerts and usually sell-out well before the concert date. Click here to see a photograph of the Monastery concert in July 2008.

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2010 Rehearsals

Forum Theatre

All the Gorton Philharmonic Orchestra's concerts are open to the public and if you would like to come to one of our concerts, details of the forthcoming ones are given below. Admission to the Forum concerts is £7 (concessions £6) and accompanied children are free. Advance tickets are available at the Box Office, the Forum Theatre, Romiley (tel: 0161 430 6570 with 24 hr answering service). Tickets will also be available from 7.00 pm on the evening of each concert, all of which start at 7.30 pm.

Tickets for the Gorton Monastery concerts are available in advance from Norman Heaps, 117 Woodsmoor Lane, Davenport, Stockport SK3 8TJ (tel 0161 483 1699). See details of concerts for ticket prices.

If you would like to join as a playing member, contact the Secretary, John Boydell,  (john.boydell@tiscali.co.uk) with details of your instrument, playing standard etc. and he will be able to advise you if there are any vacancies in the orchestra. Experienced string players are always welcome.                                                  

Rehearsals are held on Sunday mornings, usually from 10.15am. to 12.30pm. with a short break at 11.30am. The orchestra presently rehearses at the Community Centre, The Forum, Compstall Road, Romiley, Stockport. The orchestra is conducted by the Musical Director, Nicholas Simpson, and also guest conductors including Andrew Hodkinson and the President, Stephen Threlfall, who is the Director of Music at Chetham‘s School of Music, Manchester.

The concert programmes are varied and include not only the standard symphony orchestra repertoire but also light popular music from the extensive library that the Society has built up over the 156 years of its existence. Orchestral parts from this library are available for hire to UK amateur musical societies and orchestras. Contact the Librarian, Mrs Bronwen Bhabuta at 22 Beech Road, Chorlton, Manchester M21 2BQ or tel: 0161 881 0572 for details of music available and hire charges.

Recent concert programmes have included composers such as Richard Strauss, Grieg and Nielsen and English composers including Holst, Malcolm Arnold and Elgar. You can get an idea of the orchestra's range of repertoire by looking at our past concert programmes.

If you would like to join as a Patron to get free admission to the Subscription concerts each year, please contact the Membership Secretary, Norman Heaps, at 117 Woodsmoor Lane, Davenport, Stockport SK3 8TJ or telephone him at 0161 483 1699. 

Concerts

Biographies

Membership

History

The Society

Past Concerts

Music Links

2010 Rehearsals

Next  Concerts

 Saturday 23rd October

Forum Theatre, Romiley (7.30 pm)

Conductor: Nicholas Simpson

Godfrey Somech Memorial Concert

Nimrod (from Enigma Variations) (Elgar)

Norwegian Rhapsody No. 2 (Svendsen)

Sonata for Violin and Orchestra (Grieg arr. Simpson)

Soloist: Michael Vernon

Symphony No. 3 in C major (Sibelius)

 Sunday 12th December

at Gorton Monastery (2pm to 4pm)

A Christmas Concert with carols

Conductor: Andrew Hodkinson

A festive afternoon concert of music and carols.

Mulled wine, mince pies and festive refreshments will be available 

in the Friar's Pantry café

Tickets £12 available from 

Norman Heaps,  117 Woodsmoor Lane, Davenport, Stockport SK3 8TJ

Please send SAE and remittance (cheques payable to Gorton Philharmonic Society).

or The Monastery Ticket Office 0161 223 3211(Mon-Fri office hours)

2011  Concerts

Sunday March 6th or 13th (Chetham's School of Music) (2.30pm)

Saturday May 14th (Romiley Forum) (7.30pm)

Sunday July 17th (Gorton Monastery) (2.30pm)

Saturday October 22nd (Romiley Forum) (7.30pm)

Sunday December 11th (Gorton Monastery) (2pm - 4pm)

Concerts

Biographies

Membership

History

The Society

Past Concerts

Music Links

2010 Rehearsals

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