Shrewsbury Orchestral Society
Shrewsbury Symphony Orchestra welcomes a new sponsor for its 2023/24 season.
The orchestra has some superb concerts coming up including the Brahms Double Concerto for violin, cello and orchestra with two of the UK’s finest musicians - Zoe Beyers and Richard Jenkinson - on November 29th in The Alington Hall at Shrewsbury School.
Zoe is the leader of the BBC Philharmonic and the English Symphony Orchestra and Richard is the former principal cello of the CBSO. These two world-class soloists are used to performing together as half of The Dante Quartet, one of the UK’s finest string groups. They are about to embark on a tour of South Africa to deliver a raft of concerts including youth concerts in Soweto and at the University of Cape Town, but will return to the UK to play with the Shrewsbury Symphony Orchestra on Wednesday, November 29th.
The same concert will also feature Beethoven’s ‘Egmont’ overture and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4.
Also coming up next year is Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No 3 with internationally renowned soloist Peter Donohoe, one of the foremost pianists of our time (March 27th, Alington Hall) in a concert which also features the Bacewicz Overture and the Kalinikov Symphony. Summer concerts in Shrewsbury and Whitchurch will include Rachmaninoff Symphony No 2 and the orchestra also hopes to return to Shrewsbury Castle in July - providing the weather is kind! (date TBC).
These summer picnic concerts have become a staple of Shrewsbury’s summer season, raising thousands of pounds for local charities.
The SSO, one of the UK’s oldest amateur orchestras in the land, is dynamic and ambitious, supported by talented local musicians, with recent programmes including a collaboration with North Wales Opera Studio to perform Carmen in Shrewsbury and Whitchurch and a programme of music by female composers, to link in with the Doreen Carwithen centenary.
It is delighted to partner with specialist recruitment and consultancy services group Seymour John this season, which has a motto of ‘helping people and organisations thrive’.
SSO Chairman Jon Box said: “The partnership with recruitment agency Seymour John will help keep the orchestra on a sure footing and allow us to continue to deliver first class musical offerings for the county.”
Phil Topper, Director of recruitment agency Seymour John said "We are delighted to be working with the local Symphony Orchestra, we share a common ethos of providing people with opportunities to thrive."
Shrewsbury Orchestral Society was founded in 1888, making it one of the oldest amateur orchestras in the country. The Society operates as a registered charity with the purpose of "educating the public in the art and science of music". A Committee of volunteers organises a minimum of three concerts each year of orchestral works usually including a symphony or other substantive work.
Shrewsbury Symphony Orchestra is supported by our Music Director, John Moore and Orchestra Leader, Alex Postlethwaite. Concerts are held in various locations in or around Shrewsbury; further details are elsewhere on this website.
Zoë Beyers is the leader of the BBC Philharmonic and has established a reputation as one of the finest and most versatile violinists in the UK - she played Sibelius' violin concerto with the SSO in March 2018 and says of the experience:
"Shrewsbury is very fortunate to have such a vibrant, committed orchestra, taken from the community and playing for the community. John Moore and his musicians are a delight to work with - I have very fond memories of our performance of Sibelius’s Violin Concerto. I have enormous respect for SSO’s dedication and passion for making music!"
Ben Goldscheider was nominated by the Barbican as an ECHO Rising Star and during the 2021/22 season Ben gives recitals at major concert halls including the Concertgebouw, Musikverein, Elbphilharmonie and Köln Philharmonie.
"It was a great pleasure to play the Strauss with Shrewsbury Symphony Orchestra. Such a supportive atmosphere and a joy to share the stage with. Thanks and hopefully see you again!" [Photo: Frank Jerke]
Jennifer Pike – renowned for her “dazzling interpretative flair and exemplary technique” (Classic FM), violinist Jennifer Pike has taken the musical world by storm with her unique artistry and compelling insight into music from the Baroque to the present day:
"Loved playing the Elgar Concerto with you in the stunning Shrewsbury Abbey, thank you!" [Photo: Tom Barnes]