Amateur Orchestras - West Country

Orchestra	Conductor Leader	Rehearsal Venue/Times	Contact	Notes
Allington Strings	Wendy Staal Janet Lane	Monday evenings, fortnightly at St Mary's School, Bridport	Ken Martin (chairman) Wendy Staal	A friendly string orchestra who would welcome new members. We are currently rehearsing Holst St Paul's Suite, Telemann Don Quixote suite, Handel concerto grosso, Parry English suite and Faure Apres une Reve for concert on 3 May at St John's, West Bay. Future music likely to include Schubert Death and the Maiden and Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Bath Symphony Orchestra	David Price Tim Robb	Widcombe Junior School, Archway Street, Bath usually on Tuesdays at 7.30pm	Hon.Secretary - Mrs Fiona Haysom 01225 482406	Always welcome new players, especially strings.
Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra	Guest conductors	Intensive rehearsals just prior to a concert.	Katie McConochie 01295 811606	BHCO was established in 1987 and works with professional conductors. The standard is high and the orchestra uses St George’s Bristol as its performing venue.
The Bristol Chamber Orchestra	Roger Huckle Robert Pinniger	Wednesday evenings, 7.30 - 9.30pm, Mackay Theatre, Bristol Grammar School.	Robert Pinniger
The Bristol Concert Orchestra	Stefan Hofkes Andrew Rees	Mondays, 7.30 - 9.30 pm Ashton Park School, Bristol	0117 923 6778
Bristol Concert Wind Band	Chris Harris	St Peter’s Methodist Church, Allison Road, Broom Hill, Bristol Weds 7.30	Chris Harris 0117 9561950	With its 2 training bands it caters for all standards.
Bristol Millennium Orchestra	Paul Sidney Heather Roylance	Colston Girls School, Cheltenham Road, Bristol. Mondays 7.00 - 9.00pm.	Paul Sidney 07799 718520	A large friendly orchestra which plays a varied repertoire
Bristol Music Club Orchestra	William Goodchild Robert Pinniger	Bristol Music Club, 76 St. Paul’s Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1LP; alternate Tuesdays; 7.30pm to 10.00pm.	Margaret Putin 01454 619366	An enthusiastic amateur orchestra performing 3 concerts per year in a prestigious venue - St George’s Bristol. Standards are high – entry by informal audition. Good string players are especially welcome to audition.
Bristol Music Club Strings	Julian Dale Sue Burdock	Monday mornings 10.00-12.15 at Bristol Music Club, St Pauls Rd, Clifton.	Julian Dale 0117 9737739	Mixed-ability string orchestra playing music of all periods. Gives occasional concerts. New players welcome.
Brunel Sinfonia	Tom Gauterin	Wednesdays, 19:00, Clifton College, Bristol	Dave Sherwin	Fresh, new, young orchestra whose emphasis is on being sociable, friendly and fun at the same time as producing great music to a high standard. Players of all instruments and ages very welcome, but most especially strings and lower brass (Grade 7 minimum standard).
Bude Concert OrchestraNEW	Barry Carrington Moule	Mondays 7:30pm The Music Suite, Budehaven Community School	Barry Carrington Moule 01288 361625
The Cameo Orchestra	Andrew Foister Adrian Juggins	Tuesday from 7.45pm at St Barnabas church in Warmley, Bristol.	Rob Tyley Denise Clark	The Orchestra would welcome interest from potential new members, and are looking for a playing ability of Grade 6 or higher
Exeter Music Group Symphony Orchestra	Roger Hendy Clare Smith	Westexe School,St. Thomas, Exeter. Thursdays 7.20 - 9.40 p.m.	Roger Hendy 01404 823150	Exeter’s leading orchestra presenting a wide variety of classical concerts featuring national and international soloists. New players welcome.
Exeter Symphony Orchestra	Brian Northcott Serena Stephenson	Tuesday evening during term time at St. Michael’s C of E Primary School, South Lawn Terrace, Heavitree, EX1 2SN from 7.15-9.30 p.m.	Bob Jevon, Chairman	The city of Exeter's principle orchestra, with concerts 3 times a year. New players very welcome.
Exeter University Symphony Orchestra	Jon James Mark Gateshill	Usually Tuesdays in termtime		Concerts are usually held in early December, early March and a Summer Prom Concert in late June.
Frome Symphony	Stephen Marquiss	7 - 9pm on Mondays during school term time at Christchurch, Christchurch St West, Frome	Stephen Marquiss	Frome Symphony is an exciting amateur orchestra for Frome (Somerset, UK) and the surrounding area, established in 2001. We welcome new members, particularly those who play stringed instruments.
Gordano Wind Ensemble	Tyrone Harry	Weston Super Mare Every Fortnight on a Tuesday evening from 6-7.30pm.	Tyrone Harry 07955 094 393	If you’re a Flutist or Oboist and at least Grade 5+ Standard, you may be interested in the GSWE!! We play from Classical Chamber Music to popular music & Give some Classical concerts throughout the year! Really Great group for players to develop and get concert playing experience!
Keynsham Orchestra	Bob Jenner Andrew Rees	St.Dunstan’s Church Hall, Keynsham, Bristol. Tuesday evenings 7.30 - 9.30pm.	Steve Drew, 0117 9858269.	A small friendly orchestra which plays a wide variety of orchestral music. String, horn, tuba & percussion players especially welcome.
Longwell Green Community Orchestra	Paul Sidney Peter Patch	Longwell Green Community Centre, Bristol, Thursdays 7.30 - 9.30 p.m.	Paul Sidney 07799 718520	A small friendly orchestra which plays a varied repertoire. String and percussion players especially welcome.
The Mid-Somerset Orchestra	Permanent position vacant Hywel Jenkins	Croscombe Village Hall, Croscombe, Somerset, Wednesday evenings during school term time 8.00 - 10.00	Martin Lovell, chairman 01749 343852 home 01458-842405 work	Local amateur orchestra musicians of high standard. 4 concerts a year mixed repertoire. New members welcome according to position availability.
Nailsea Concert Orchestra	Bob Jenner Liz Stote	United Reformed Church, Stock Way North, Nailsea, Fridays 19:30	Gavin Stoddard 01934 647203	Small classical orchestra performing works for small orchestras. Give three concerts a year in North Somerset area. New members always welcome, Grade V as guide for strings.
New Bristol Sinfonia	James Lowe Mark Bunker	Usually at Bethesda Church Alma Rd. Clifton, three weeks before a concert.	Mark Bunker 0117 9715605	Friendly young orchestra, high standards. Based in Bristol - concerts in the Victoria Rooms
Newton Abbot OrchestraNEW	Robert Young Adrian Janssen	Wednesdays at 7.30 to 9.30pm in Daphne Collman Hall, rear of Knowles Hill School	Janna Bulmer (chair) 01364 652227 Rosemary Roscoe 01626 365949	Affiliated to Newton Abbot and District Society of Arts. www.nadsa.co.uk A group which enjoys playing classical and romantic music, including selections from shows. Under Rob's baton, it has progressed greatly over the past two years. Average is three concerts a year in Newton Abbot and the surrounding area. Recently, it has been fortunate in being asked to play for charity and similar events, so avoiding having to promote its own concerts.
North Devon Sinfonia	Emma Kent Dan Kent	West Buckland School, North devon. 4 rehearsals during 3 weeks before concert	Emma Kent 01598 710434	We are a full-scale symphony orchestra with members from all over Devon (and even some from Cornwall and Somerset). 4 concerts a year including performances in the Two Moors Festivals 2005 & 2006). New members welcome.
North Wiltshire Orchestra	Chris Thompson Michael Oliver	Wednesdays from 7.30 - 9.30 at Devizes School	Emma Bridgman (Chair) 01225 354457 Christopher Joseph (Secretary) 01672 513364	Founded in 1966, concerts are given three times a year, in St Andrew’s Church, Chippenham. String players are always welcome
Penzance Orchestral Society	Judith Bailey Ruth Boulton and Christine Judge	Wednesdays, term time at our Band Room, Lower Queen Street, Penzance, from 7.15p.m. to 9.30p.m	Judith Bailey 01736 756616 Mike Higgs (Chairman) 01736 850880	If you are interested in joining us please ring our Musical Director or Chairman for details, or fill in the online form. There is a waiting list for some instruments and membership is by invitation only.
Plymouth Symphony Orchestra	Anne Kimber Paul Matthews	Monday evenings, Plymouth	Anne Kimber 01803 73255	Plymouth's own Symphony Orchestra has been central to the musical life of the city for 132 years, and continues to perform challenging music ranging from the traditional to the contemporary.
St Mewan Sinfonia	David Frost Martin White	Thursday evenings at Probus from 7:30 to 9:30pm	Secretary	Founded in 1974, this small string orchestra has at present twenty two players, some of whom are founder members.
Salisbury Sinfonia	Tim Murray			Established in 1992
Salisbury String Orchestra	Donald Palmer Frances Condliffe	Tuesday evenings in term time at Harnham Memorial Hall	Dermod Hill (Hon.sec) 01722 332078	An established amateur orchestra giving three concerts a year. New players always welcome. No admission is charged for concerts, and costs are met through member subscriptions.
Salisbury Symphony Orchestra	David Halls Ros Bromley	7:30 pm on Friday, usually at the South Wilts Grammar School, Stratford Road, Salisbury, SP1 3JJ	Mrs P Dickins (secretary) 01747 870226	We current have vacancies for: 1st & 2nd Trumpet, Double Basses. Additional string players are always welcome. We also frequently have need for augment players to perform works for larger orchestra.
Somerset County Orchestra	Various guest conductors	Tuesday evenings at 7.00, Archbishop Cranmer School, Taunton	Susan Kaufman (Secretary) 01823 672618	The orchestra for each concert is formed from the membership as required and rehearsals take place in the weeks prior to a performance. In addition to these rehearsals are repertoire evenings where members rehearse music which is not intended for immediate public performance.
South Bristol Music CentreNEW		Saturday mornings 9.30 to 12.30 in the music department of Hengrove Comprehensive School.	0117 9031 370	We play a concert at the end of each term and various mid term concerts if they arise. In the last year we have played the Colston Hall and the Lord Mayor's Ball held at the Bristol City Football club.
Southmead Orchestral Society	Julian Dale Sue Burdock	St.Peter’s Church Hall, The Drive, Henleaze, Bristol, BS9 4LD. Sunday (once a month) : 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm.	Dr. Irene Gibbs 0117 9421062	Would welcome string players, especially violins & violas. The programme changes every 2 months. Annual Summer Concert and dinner - for family and friends. Reasonable ability to sight-read - rusty players welcome.
Thornbury Orchestra	Chris Hill Janet Lewis	19:45 on alternate Wednesdays at the United Reform Church, Thornbury, plus some sectional rehearsals on the other Wednesdays.	Chairman Hugh Price 01454 612453	Founded in 2002, the orchestra has grown rapidly and now performs large symphonic works. While aiming for high standards, we remain a fun, friendly and enthusiastic group. Players need to be of a good standard and wishing to improve. Recent works played by the orchestra include Elgar’s Enigma Variations, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and excerpts from Holst’s The Planets.
Torbay Symphony Orchestra	Richard Gonski Susanna Burnett			The orchestra performs three series of concerts a year in totnes, Torquay, Dartmouth and other venues in the area.
Truro Sinfonia	Barry Carrington-Moule Betty Wheeler	Truro College, Truro, term time on Wednesday, 7.30pm to 9.30pm.	Rachel (Secretary) 01872-261140 Barry Carrington-Moule 01288 361625	Our purpose is to provide a route for anyone wishing to play in an ensemble with other musicians in a non-competitive environment. There are those who have been playing for a relatively short time and a few who have returned to playing after a long gap.
Wessex Concert Orchestra	Andrew Baatz Nicola Ashton	Monkton Park School, Sadler's Mead, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN15 3PN Mondays 7.30pm - 9.30 pm	Orchestra Manager - Guy Edwards 01793 851185	The Wessex Concert Orchestra was originally formed in 1940 as the Westinghouse Concert Orchestra and was re-launched in September 2004 as an independent, regionally-orientated orchestra for North Wiltshire, South Gloucestershire & BaNES. We are proud to present a varied and popular repertoire which includes film music, British light music and concert works. Our exciting and challenging programming requires a reasonable degree of competency, but we do not set a strict, grade-based standard for membership. Please contact us for information about our vacancies
The Winscombe Orchestra	Christine Gladwin Paul Beechey	Term time Fridays 7.45pm at The Lynch Chapel Hall, The Lynch, Winscombe, North Somerset	Rob Tyley 0117 971-9193	Medium size orchestra performing classical repertoire and some lighter orchestral music. New members welcome - especially string players.
Wootton Bassett Orchestra	Gordon Nelson	Methodist Church, Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire. Thursday Evenings	Glenys France 01793 790601	New players are welcome, especially string players at present.

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