We hold private and public concerts and workshops throughout the year, including our conductors’ workshops which allow people to try their hand at conducting.
We often perform at unique and interesting venues, for example we opened the Month of Music event at St Pancras International Station and have performed a couple of times at Kingsbury Barn in St Albans, a unique and carefully restored medieval barn.
Past Performances and Events
In February 2020 we created a virtual reality recording of the orchestra. This was enabled by Richard Jackson, a violinist in the orchestra, who runs a business producing high quality ‘Virtual Reality’ videos. He recorded the orchestra playing from within, so that the orchestra can be experienced from all angles.
In December 2019, the Abbey Gateway Orchestra played a selection of Christmas carols and a few of our own pieces at this lively and fun community singalong event in Wheathampstead.
In July 2019 the orchestra performed with a local ballet school. We played a selection of well known pieces, including iconic extracts from ballets such as Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty.
In March 2019 we played with Stanborough school, performing compositions which had been written by students for their A Levels. These included full orchestral pieces, a wind ensemble and a string quartet.
It was really inspiring for the students to hear their pieces being performed by a real live orchestra, and we thoroughly enjoyed working with them.
We held a concerto workshop in October 2018 which gave members of the orchestra the opportunity to have a go at playing a concerto with the orchestra.
This included a piano concerto with Simon Gargrave and a violin concerto with our leader, Keith Cotton. We also had two bassoon concertos.
Our summer concert was held at Kingsbury Barn, St Albans on Saturday 30th June 2018 and we had a great turnout. During the concert we showcased short original pieces by our own trio of composers.
The programme included:
- Suppe, Morning, Noon and Night
- Botterill, Golden Parade
- Beach, Waltz Miniature
- Beethoven, Symphony No 5 (1st movement)
- Wolf Ferrari, Susanna’s Secret
- Faris, ‘The Edwardians’
- Gargrave, Romance: ‘Torn Apart’
- Botterill, Waltz Curio
- Strauss, Die Fledermaus
In our first performance of the year, we helped celebrate the 50th year anniversary of St John Fisher Church, Redbourn on Saturday 24th March 2018.
The programme included:
- Parry, Jerusalem
- German, Morris Dance
- Botterill, The Golden Parade
- Elgar, Chanson de Matin
- Suppé, Morning, Noon and Night Overture
- Elgar, Chanson de Nuit
- Gargrave, Rise of the Falcons
- Alwyn, Suite of Scottish Dances
Our 2017 summer concert was on Saturday 15 July 2017 at St Mary the Virgin Church, Ware.
The programme included:
- Stanford, Clarinet Concerto (slow movement) with soloist – Celia Higson
- Parry, Jerusalem
- Parry, I was Glad
- Tallis, If ye love me
- Bruchner, Locus Iste
- Rutter, The Gaelic Blessing
- Handel, Zadok the Priest
- Vaughan Williams, Old 100th
The first performance of the 2016/17 season was on Saturday 3rd December 2016 at St Nicholas’ Church, Harpenden.
The programme included:
- Iolanthe Overture, Sullivan
- Henry VIII – Morris Dance, German
- Nocturne – Chopin (Soloist: Simon Gargrave)
- Warsaw Concerto – Addinsell
- Serenade for Small Orchestra – Mattias
- Ballet Egyptien – andante sostenuto – Luigini
- Suite of Miniatures – Beach
- The Fair Maid of Perth – March – Bizet
- Ballet from Petite Suite – Debussy
- Nocturne in E Flat – Chopin
- Children’s Carnival – Pantelon – Beach (soloist Simon Gargrave)
Our annual Christmas Carols Singalong was on the 15th December 2016 at Wheathampstead Memorial Hall
2015/16 was our Jubilee Year!
The Hertfordshire Advertiser did a fantastic article on our Golden Jubilee Performance. You can read it by clicking here
We were also thrilled to see the orchestra featured in the August Issue of My St Albans News.
Our Golden Jubilee Performance was on 16 July 2016 at Kingsbury Barn, Branch Road, St Albans, AL3 4SE.
Kingsbury Barn is a late 14th Century building beautifully restored on the edge of St Michaels Village, St Albans. A unique venue to celebrate our 50th anniversary.
It was a sell out performance with over 140 people attending.
The programme included:
- Clarinet Concerto No.3 Crusell, Soloist Andrew Smith
- King Stephen Overture Beethoven
- March – Seventeen Come Sunday Vaughan Williams
- Romance – The Quest Beach
- Romance for Bassoon and Orchestra Elgar, Soloist John Glanville
- March – Folk Songs from Somerset Vaughan Williams
- March of the Legions Gargrave
- Old One Hundredth Vaughan Williams
Our first concert for the new term of our Golden Jubilee year in 2015 was at the High Street Methodist Church in Harpenden AL5 2RU on the 28 November. We were joined by the Our Lady of Lourdes and High Street Methodist Church choirs.
The programme included:
- Clarke: Prince of Denmark’s March
- Nicholai: Merry Wives of Windsor – Overture
- Carol: My Dancing Day
- Joubert: There is no rose
- Bruckner: Locus Iste
- Weber: Clarinet Concertino (soloist-Andrew Smith)
- Vaughan Williams: Linden Lea – A Dorset Song
- Parry: Blest Pair of Sirens
- Humperdinck: Evening Prayer
- Vaughan Williams: Old One Hundredth Psalm Tune
2015’s Summer Concert was at St Helen’s Church, Wheathampstead. All proceeds were given to the St Helen’s Organ Restoration Fund.
In November 2014 we held a concert at St Nicholas Church, Harpenden with Our Lady of Lourdes and the Harpenden High Street Methodist Choirs.
Other previous concerts include:
Summer Concert, 12th July 2014, St Stephens Church, St Albans
Conductor’s Workshop, 1st March 2014, St Paul’s Church, St Albans
Community Month of Music, 1st December 2013, St Pancras International Station, London
Autumn Concert, 9th November 2013, St Helen’s Church, Wheathampstead
Summer Concert, 8th June 2013, High Street Church, Harpenden
Abbey Gateway 