News | Windsor Community Orchestra

2020 Spring concert made virtual

26 Mar 2020

Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 situation, the orchestra has had to cancel the final rehearsal and concert of the 2020 Spring term.

We did put together a virtual concert, with the computer generated sound files for the orchestra but some members contributing videos or sound recordings of their solo pieces. We put this up on the member's site. If you are a member and do not have access, contact us via the Contact page.

New members' area launched

16 Mar 2020

The member's login page

It's just over a year since we launched our new web site. It's been updated a few times since then to make the content clearer and easier to access. Our most recent update has included a members' area. This is accessible for members only and allows us to distribute sound files for the pieces, recordings and scores from this web site. If you're a member and need access, please use the Contact page.

Remembering John Denny

16 Jan 2020

The orchestra was saddened to hear of the recent death of John Denny. John had been a faithful member of the orchestra for 11 years, playing soprano saxophone. He also played accordion and played a solo in nearly every concert he appeared at. Mostly recently, he played a selection of his favourite accordion music at our Christmas concert in December of 2019. He was always quick to smile and had a quiet humour that soon would bring a smile to everyone he was talking to. But most of all, he will be remembered for his passion and energy for music and motor bikes. We were all very fond of John, and we will miss his friendship and music.

Orchestra celebrates Beethoven in 2020

01 Jan 2020

This year is Beethoven 2020 year.

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in December 1770 in Bonn, Germany and became a well-known musician in his own lifetime - mostly for his music but a little for his unpredictable moods.

The Windsor Community Orchestra will be celebrating the 250^th year of his birth by rehearsing and performing his 5^th Symphony and other short pieces throughout the year. This spring, our programme includes the first and second movements of the 5^th Symphony (abridged and in an easier key), as well as the Scherzo from his Piano Sonata opus 28. We'll then perform the other movements of the symphony (similarly abridged and simplified) and other short pieces later in the year.

We invite you to join us, either as an orchestra member or at our Spring Concert on Thursday 26^th March. Full details of the concert can be found on our Calendar page.

Christmas concert

05 Dec 2019

Our Christmas concert was held on December 5^th. The orchestra has grown so large that fitting all 44 members and the audience was a bit of a squeeze. But the sound the orchestra made was amazing, with a Christmas carol, film music and the musical Guys and Dolls all being celebrated.

We played Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers, and Trepak, both from The Nutcracker. We also played Anderson's famous Sleigh Ride, where 2 members of the audience were invited to join with the orchestra to add the sleigh bells.

As always, the concert was free, but we did collect a voluntary donation for charity. This term, we raised money for a charity that some members of the orchestra have benefitted from and know well; the Thames Hospice, and their Raise the Roof appeal in particular. £440 was raised for this extremely good cause.