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The A40 Concert Orchestra is a new fully professional orchestra which has grown out of the professional element of the successful semi-professional A40 Orchestra. The A40 Concert Orchestra gave its first concert with the A40 Choir on 17 November 2001 in High Wycombe Parish Church. Its first concert ranging from the Baroque to 20th Century items - on its own - took place on 20 April 2002 in the Wycombe Town Hall part of the Wycombe Swan Theatre arts complex. A year later the next concert sold out a week in advance. The A40 Concert Orchestra then went on to win a national award from the Musical Instruments section of the Cornhill Allianz Insurance Company for its innovative idea of introducing youngsters to 'live' classical music by doing two performances of Prokofiev's highly entertaining and well-known musical story Peter and the Wolf: a special matinee performance for youngsters too young to come to the evening performance at 2:30 p.m., and then an evening performance alongside extracts of other evergreens such as the first movement of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony (the one that opens de-de-de-dah, de-de-de-dah!).
The semi-professional A40 Orchestra was formed in 1992, and had its initial rehearsals and first concert in St. James' Church Hall, Gerrards Cross, next to the A40 road - hence the name. In 1993, it moved to the Main Lecture Theatre of Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College Newland Park Campus, Chalfont St. Giles, where it averaged gave three concerts per season. Weekly rehearsals were elsewhere on the Campus. In 1997-98 the A40 Orchestra combined with the A40 Choir - in High Wycombe - to perform Beethoven Choral Symphony with the little known Liszt Psalm 13, and Haydn The Creation as part of the season's National Lottery funded series of concerts. The A40 Orchestra ran three successful National Concerto competitions which were featured in national music press - Classical Music and ISM Music Journal. In October 1999, along with the A40 Choir, the A40 Orchestra was featured as the Classic FM 'Team of the Week'. Southern Arts assessors more than once said that the A40 Orchestra was among the best in the whole of the Southern Region, and also commented favourable on successful integration of amateurs and professionals.
Large Piano concertos are performed by David Meacock on a hired Model D Concert Grand Steinway, usually with a guest conductor for the item, while smaller ones are directed from the piano.
A40 Concert Orchestra Concert with the A40 Choir:
15 November 2008, 7:30 p.m. St Mary's Church, Amersham
Doors open 7 p.m.. Ending by 9:15 p.m.
Karl Jenkins The Armed Man: a Mass for Peace & Adiamus Te
R. Vaughan Williams A Song of Thanksgiving
with A40 Concert Orchestra & professional vocal soloists
Tickets.
Please paste and copy the following form into your usual word processing programme, and then send it with a Stamped Addressed Envelope to: A40 Box Office, 'Kavit', 35 Layters Close, Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks. SL9 9HS.
Please hand deliver, or use first class stamps for orders made after 10 March.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: A40 Box Office, 'Kavit', 35 Layters Close, Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks. SL9 9HS. Please supply tickets for 15 November A40 Choir Concert as follows: …… Adults @ £12-00 (saving £3 off the on-the-door price) £………… …… Student @ £7 £………… GRAND TOTAL: £ . . . . . . . . . . Please make ALL cheques payable to A40 Choir, and include a stamped addressed envelope. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For further details, please contact the A40 Concert Orchestra via contact page