Plymouth's own Symphony Orchestra has been central to the musical life of the city for 134 years, and continues to perform challenging music ranging from the traditional to the contemporary.

In 1875 a local teacher of music, Dr Samuel Weekes, brought together a group of musician friends and founded what was then known as an Orchestral Society: their first concert was presented in the graceful Tea Rooms of Plymouth’s old Royal Hotel. The renamed Plymouth Symphony Orchestra can claim to be one of the longest-established orchestras in the country, with an amazing record of continuity: the founding conductor was succeeded by his son; his grandson, John Weekes, was a vice-president until recently! The present conductor, Anne Kimber, is only the sixth in 134 years.

The eighty members of the orchestra travel from as far afield as Beer and Bodmin to attend weekly rehearsals. Many different occupations are represented; a number of members have had professional training but none receive payment for playing in the orchestra.

In its choice of programmes the orchestra aims to achieve a balance between established masterpieces and an adventurous selection of less familiar music. Among the contemporary pieces performed in recent years have been several specially commissioned from local composers, including Judy Whitlock, who leads the double bass section.

Many distinguished soloists have played concertos with the orchestra, including in recent years Kennedy, Peter Donohoe, the late Jack Brymer, Julian Lloyd Webber, Priya Mitchell, Anna Markland, Ralph Kirshbaum, Noriko Ogawa and, most recently, the BBC Young Musician of the Year, Jennifer Pike.

In addition to making appearances in Plymouth, an important feature of the orchestra’s work is to present concerts in other centres which professional symphony orchestras rarely, if ever, visit, such as Liskeard, Totnes, Dartington, Christow and Buckland Abbey. But the purpose of Samuel Weekes in founding the orchestra has remained central to all its activities: to bring friends together once a week to make music.

Sunday 29th November at 5.30pm

Tickets are also available at the door or from members of the orchestra

For further information including season tickets for Plymouth concerts, phone 01579 342955

Carol Bennett

.

Carol grew up in Somerset where she began learning the violin aged 7.  She studied music at Cardiff University with Lucy Gould, before going on to do a Postgraduate Performance Diploma at the Royal Academy of Music in London, gaining a Distinction for this and being awarded the DipRAM for an outstanding final recital. 

Shortly following the completion of her studies, Carol was appointed Principal 2nd violin (sitting no.3) with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.  In June 2008, she took up her current position of Co-Principal 2nd Violin with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Due to maternity leave of the Section Leader, she has been the acting Section Leader of the second violins here for the past year. 

Besides her work in Bournemouth and Liverpool, Carol has played with a number of professional orchestras including the orchestra of English National Opera, Northern Sinfonia, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra .  She also enjoys performing as a concerto soloist and recent performances have included the Bruch, Barber, Mozart A major and Mendelssohn violin concertos.

Thomas Gould

Born in London in 1983, Thomas Gould began violin lessons at the age of three with Sheila Nelson. At eighteen Thomas entered the Royal Academy of Music on a scholarship where his principal teacher was György Pauk. Since graduating in 2006 Thomas has established a busy and varied career as soloist, recitalist and orchestral leader.

In May 2006 Thomas was selected for representation by Young Concert Artists Trust (YCAT) leading to debut recitals in the Purcell Room, Bridgewater Hall, Wigmore Hall and St George’s Bristol. As a Martin Musical Scholarship Fund award-winner Thomas has appeared in recital in the Purcell Room and Queen Elizabeth Hall. Through the Countess of Munster Recital Scheme and Making Music Young Concert Artist Programme Thomas performs regularly for music clubs and societies across the UK with pianist John Reid.

Thomas is in equal demand as concerto soloist, having performed with numerous orchestras in England and abroad. Notable collaborations include the Gävle Symfoniorkester and Robin Ticciati, Kammerphilharmonie Graz and Achim Holub, Orchestra of the Swan and David Curtis, and the London Soloists Chamber Orchestra. In 2007 he will give the premiere of a concerto written for six-string electric violin by American composer Nico Muhly with Aurora Orchestra.

Thomas is co-leader of Britten Sinfonia and leader of Aurora Orchestra. He also freelances with several London orchestras and plays regularly on soundtracks for film and television. In addition Thomas has recorded works by Herbert Howells and Joseph Jongen for the Meridian and Hyperion labels. Thomas is a regular participant in the International Musicians Seminar at Prussia Cove and the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme in Aldeburgh.

Thomas plays a violin made by Gennaro Gagliano in 1754.

Who are Friends of the PSO?

Decades ago it was realised that certain supporters of the orchestra were willing to augment the money they were already paying regularly to buy tickets for our concerts. These kind people agreed to commit themselves to assisting the orchestra by paying an extra few pounds each year. In return, they would be acknowledged as Friends of the PSO with their names in each programme and would receive by post three special pre-concert newsletters every year. To this has been added an invitation to the orchestra’s party held in the Guildhall after each March concert. But the most valuable reward to our Friends is the awareness that they are helping the City of Plymouth to maintain its own symphony orchestra. The revenue on which the orchestra depends comes from the annual subscription paid by each player for the privilege and joy of playing plus the contributions from the orchestra’s Friends.The Friends’ annual donations contribute significantly towards the expense of music hire, soloists’ fees and publicity. To have survived for 132 years in this way is a tribute to the devotion of a very few people.

How To Join Us

If you are already a Friend of the PSO, please will you tell your neighbours and colleagues about us? Ask them to join too. If you are not a Friend, will you print out and fill in the application form and join today?

Download application form - pdf - Microsoft Word -

Please send the completed form with your cheque (minimum £25)
made out to The Plymouth Symphony Orchestra to:

The Secretary to the PSO Friends,
Cutmere Cottage,
Tideford,
Cornwall PL12 5JU

Ivan Sidgreaves
Denise Hasshill
Robert Kellagher
Julia Allsop
Denise Bowden
Christine Harvey
Mike Hasshill, Ian Kilpatrick
Margaret Sampson, Carolyn Haynes, Judy Whitlock, Tony Jeffs
Ian Banbury

The Musical Director
Anne Kimber
01803 732550