Blackpool Symphony Orchestra
BSO performs 3-4 concerts a year in September, November, March and June. See our website and social media for details of all our concerts. Our concerts, collaborations with local arts organisations and schools and come & play string days are all part of the orchestra's mission - education in and appreciation of orchestra music. Tickets for our September 2024 Prom Concert are available from The Grand Theatre Blackpool.
Come and Play String Day 2025
Saturday 18 January 2025
This is a come and play event for string players (and not a concert). We will be looking at 3 works, Holst St Paul's Suite, Gipps Cringlemire Garden and Vivaldi Concerto for Strings in D Major
Conductor: Helen Harrison
Coaching: Alexandra Stemp (violin) and Amanda Turner (cello)
Registration and refreshments from 10am. Starts at 10.30am and finishes at 4pm.
£13 online or £15 on the door. Under 19s £1 deposit online.
Under 18s will need to complete a permission form. This can be downloaded from www.blackpoolsymphony.co.uk/members-info or completed on the door.
Please bring a music stand and lunch. Hot drinks and biscuits will be provided.
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School
Spring Concert
Saturday 29 March 2025
Blackpool Symphony Orchestra Concert
Conductor Helen Harrison
Tchaikovsky Symphony No 6 Pathetique
Debussy Petite Suite
Holst Japanese Suite
Mayer Overture No 1
Tickets £13 online £15 on the door (Under 19s free)
St Mary's Catholic Academy
Flying with Farrenc
Saturday 29 June 2024
Blackpool Symphony Orchestra Concert
Conductor Felicity Cliffe
Farrenc Symphony No 3
Vaughan Williams The Wasps Overture
Saint-Saens "The Swan"
Come Fly With Me, ET, Thunderbirds, Dambusters and more
Tickets £13 online £15 on the door (Under 19s free)
AKS Lytham
Come and Play String Day 2024
Saturday 20 January 2024
This is a come and play event for string players (and not a concert). The main work will be Elgar Introduction and Allegro. It's a great opportunity to come and play for fun.
Conductor: Helen Harrison
Coaching: Alexandra Stemp (violin) and Amanda Turner (cello)
Registration and refreshments from 10am. Starts at 10.30am and finishes at 4pm.
£13 online or £15 on the door. Under 19s £1 deposit online.
Under 18s will need to complete a permission form. This can be downloaded from www.blackpoolsymphony.co.uk/members-info or completed on the door.
Please bring a music stand and lunch. Hot drinks and biscuits will be provided.
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School
Summer Sounds
Saturday 1 July 2023
Blackpool Symphony Orchestra Concert
Conductor Helen Harrison
Soloist Andrew Reynish
W. A. Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro
C. Schumann arr G. Morton: 4 Characteristic Pieces
R. Schumann Cello Concerto with soloist Andrew Reynish
F. Mendelssohn: Italian Symphony
Tickets £13 online £15 on the door (Under 19s free)
AKS Lytham
Come and Play String Day
Saturday 21 January 2023
This is a come and play event for string players (and not a concert). The main work will be Tchaikovsky Serenade for Stings. It's a great opportunity to come and play for fun.
Conductor: Helen Harrison
Coaching: Alexandra Stemp (violin) and Amanda Turner (cello)
Registration and refreshments from 10am. Starts at 10.30am and finishes at 4pm.
£12 online or £14 on the door. Under 19s £1 deposit online.
Under 18s will need to complete a permission form. This can be downloaded from www.blackpoolsymphony.co.uk/members-info or completed on the door.
Please bring a music stand and lunch. Hot drinks and biscuits will be provided.
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School
Music for an Autumn Afternoon
Saturday 19 November 2022
We have a lovely programme of music for you to enjoy
- Beach Gaelic Symphony
- Rossini William Tell
- Vaughan Williams Folk Song Suite
- Bartok Rumanian Folk Dances
- Jacob Old Wine in New Bottles
(Please note we have made some changes to the orginal programme.)
At BSO we like to include some old favourites and introduce you (and us) to unfamiliar works like Amy Beach's Gaelic Symphony. Composed in 1894, it draws inspiration from simple old English, Irish and Scottish melodies and was the first symphony composed and published by a female American composer.
AKS
A Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II
Saturday 17 September 2022
Following the sad news about HM Queen Elizabeth II we have considered things carefully. We have taken into account the latest Government advice on national mourning and have decided that we will go ahead with the concert but with a change of focus. There will be some changes to the programme to reposition the evening as a tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II. We believe that coming together through music is important, particularly given the position we have all faced during the COVID isolations when we were not able to do this.
We sincerely hope that in doing it in this way we are striking the right balance in capturing the national mood and that nobody will be offended by this decision.
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday 17 September at Hodgson Academy at 7.30pm with Poulton People's Choir for our Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II concert.
Hodgson Academy
String Day - Come and Play Dvorak String Serenade
Saturday 22 January 2022
This is an opportunity for string players to Come and Play Dvorak String Serenade under the baton of Helen Harrison. The day will include coaching from Alexandra Stemp (Violin) for upper strings and Amanda Turner (Cello) for lower strings and an informal play through for family and friends at the end of the day.
The day runs from 10.30am to 4pm with refreshments from 10am.
You will need to bring a music stand and lunch.
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School
Together
Saturday 27 November 2021
This is the second concert in our Centenary +1 season.
Tchaikovsky Symphony 4, Malcolm Arnold Scottish Dances and an overture by Fanny Hensel
Tickets: Online Adult £12. Children under 19 in education free.
Adult Ticket on the door £13
Hodgson Academy
Online Come & Play String Afternoon 2
Saturday 24 April 2021
Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Conductor Helen Harrison
Saturday April 24th 2021 2pm - 3.30pm
Tickets Adults £4 Under 19s £1
Online Come & Play String Afternoon
Saturday 23 January 2021
Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings
Conductor Helen Harrison
Saturday January 23rd 2021 2pm - 3.30pm
Tickets Adults £4 Under 19s £1
BSO Come and Play 1
Sunday 13 September 2020
A Come & Play for invited members of Blackpool Symphony Orchestra.
We will be playing Dvorak's 8th Symphony.
1. Bring your own chair
2. Bring your own stand (string players will be seated to individual stands and not sharing desks)
3. Download and print your own music to bring on the day.
4. Cellists – you may want to bring a car mat or similar to place on the grass for your spike.
5. Footwear – we will be playing on grass
The Lawn at the United Reformed Church
Blackpool Symphony Orchesra & Lytham St Annes Choral Society
Saturday 28 March 2020
Blackpool Symphony Orchestra, Lytham St Annes Choral Society and AKS Chamber Choir welcome you to an evening of great music.
We will be performing Elgar's - The Music Makers and Brahms - Tragic Overture and Song of Destiny
Our soloist is Mezzo-Soprano Stephanie Maitland.
AKS Lytham
Come and Play String Day
Saturday 25 January 2020
This is a come and play event for string players (and not a concert). The main work will be Grieg's Holberg Suite. It's a great opportunity to come and play for fun.
Registration and refreshments from 10am. Starts at 10.30am and finishes at 4pm.
Under 18s will need to complete a permission form. This can be downloaded from www.blackpoolsymphony.co.uk/members-info or completed on the door.
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School
'People and Protest' Blackpool Symphony Orchestra
Saturday 23 November 2019
This programme explores how composers have made their views heard about current and historical events. From Beethoven's Eroica Symphony originally dedicated to Napoleon, Shostakovitch's response to composing under the Soviet Regime to Sibelius' desire for freedom for the Finnish people and Copland's powerful 'Fanfare for the Common Man'. Closer to home, we also commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre with Arnold's Peterloo Overture.
PRE-CONCERT TALK 6.30PM included
Hodgson Academy
'Last Night of the Proms' Blackpool Symphony Orchestra
Saturday 14 September 2019
Join us for a popular programme of music with something for everyone from Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream to 'My Fair Lady' and of course, all your Last Night of the Proms favourites. With singing led by Poulton People's Choir this concert promises to raise the roof.
Website: www.blackpoolsymphony.co.uk
Facebook @blackpoolsymphony
Hodgson Academy