Gorton Philharmonic Orchestra
Gorton's own Orchestra begins 147th Concert Season .
About the Orchestra.
The orchestra was founded in 1854, only 27 years after the death of Beethoven, when Tchaikovsky was a boy of 14 and three years before the birth of Edward Elgar. this makes the Orchestra one of the oldest in the North West, being three years older than the Halle.
It was originally founded by a group fo Gorton musicians who met in the house of a Mr Blackshaw in Brook Green Lane, Gorton. The group initially augmented the organ accompaniment at the Aspinal Noncomformist Chapel but then enlarged to become the original Gorton Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Orchestra has met regularly ever since at various places in Gorton and Reddish - at Aspinal smithy, over the Pomona Hotel on Reddish Lane, in the old Gorton Town Hall and for many years, at Belle Vue Gardens, first in the Ballroom and then in the King's Hall.
From 1887, the orchestra gave concerts at Belle Vue and continued to do so through the two World Wars. Originally concerts were given on the first Sunday in the month from 11am to 12.30pm between May and October. In July 1945, the Belle Vue management requested tht the concerts be in the evening and so the series of 'open rehearsals' were started.
Concerts were held at Belle Vue, the Free Trade Hall and at Manchester Town Hall. The last concert at Belle Vue was held in September 1977 and from then on, Stockport Town Hall has been the venue for the concerts.
The Gorton Philharmonic Society
The Society is a registered Friendly Society under the Friendly Societies Act 1974, which allows it to take advantage of the income tax relief from covenanted subscriptions. Members are encouraged to covenant their subscriptions and so help the Society's income.
Four subscription concerts are held each year, in March, May, July and October. The Society also presents a Festival Concert in December, the programme for which usually includes choral and orchestral pieces.