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 in March, May and October. 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.
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 either from the Monastery Shop or 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 Chethams 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 155 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.
|
Sunday 12th July 7.30pm at Gorton Monastery Nuits d'été (Berlioz) Soloist: Sarah Cox (mezzo-soprano) Symphony No. 4 ('Romantic') (Bruckner) Conductor: Nicholas Simpson Leader: Kay Thomas Tickets (£12) are available now from Norman Heaps (tel. 0161 483 1699) - please send SAE with remittance to Norman Heaps, 117 Woodsmoor Lane, Davenport, Stockport SK3 8TJ and at The Monastery Saturday 17th October at Romiley Forum, Stockport Overture The Bartered Bride (Smetana) Trumpet Concerto (Haydn) Soloist: Dave Chapman Judex (from Mors et Vita) (Gounod) Symphony No. 5 in C minor (Beethoven) Conductor: Nicholas Simpson Leader: Jonathan Whitehead Sunday 13th December at Gorton Monastery (2pm to 4pm) A Christmas Concert with carols Conductor: Andrew Hodkinson
|
|
"Gorton Philharmonic Orchestra" is part of |