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.

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

Ivan Sidgreaves
Denise Hasshill
Robert Kellagher
Julia Allsop
Denise Bowden
Christine Harvey
Mike Hasshill, Ian Kilpatrick
Margaret Sampson, Sean Overend, Hilary Hall
Ian Banbury

The Musical Director
Anne Kimber
01803 732550

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 134 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 donation and Gift Aid form

Please send the completed form with your cheque (minimum £30)
made out to The Plymouth Symphony Orchestra to:

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