A golden moment for string orchestra

1:48pm Thursday 13th November 2008

FIFTY years ago, a music master at Kingstone School sounded out string players in the county to see if there was enough interest to start an advanced evening class for strings.

Within a short time, the class began to see itself as an orchestra in the making, and now, half a century later, Hereford String Orchestra, which grew from Ron Collett’s classes, celebrates half a century of making music.

The orchestra’s 50th anniversary concert will take place on Saturday, November 29, in the Shire Hall, the venue for HSO’s first annual concert in March 1961.

HSO has illustrious predecessors, its origins rooted in the Hereford Philharmonic Society and the Hereford Orchestral Society – the latter supported by Elgar, who reportedly sat at the back of the violins at some rehearsals.

Music owned by both societies has been inherited by Hereford String Orchestra, with much of the Hereford Orchestral Society’s music still in the present orchestra’s music library.

Following the retirement of conductor Nic Fallowfield in 2006, auditions were held for a replacement, with three conductors appointed – Kenneth Woods, James Slater and Richard Coppack.

The anniversary concert will be conducted by the trio of James Slater, Kenneth Woods and Elgar award winner and associate conductor, Hazel Davis.

The programme for the concert, led by Stephen Brown, the orchestra’s leader for the past 35 years, features the Overture from The Mastersingers by Wagner; Britten’s Simple Symphony, Dvorak’s Romance for violin and orchestra, for which HSO is delighted to welcome back former conductor Nic Fallowfield to play solo violin, and Brahms’ Symphony No 2 in D. It is a programme that illustrates the range of music regularly studied by the orchestra and its woodwind and brass associates.

For this anniversary concert, the orchestra will be joined by past members and, as it frequently is, by its regular associate woodwind, brass and percussion players.

Tickets are available in advance from The Outback, Church Street, Hereford, on the door on the night or by calling 01568 760633.