Ryedale’s only symphony orchestra

Yet peel back those stage curtains and you’ll find that this is home to the only symphony orchestra in Ryedale, and has been for the last 20 years.

It’s not surprising, however, to understand how it is a little-known fact, as the Friday Rehearsal Orchestra has never once performed a concert for the public.

“We are a rehearsal orchestra – we don’t do concerts, we’re a training orchestra, and musicians play for the love of it,” said June Emerson, one of the orchestra’s founders.

“We play music in order to get better and lots of young players start out with a rehearsal orchestra to get experience and training.”

June has been involved in orchestras for much of her life. In 1957, during the Edinburgh Festival, she was involved in the founding of the Edinburgh Rehearsal Orchestra, which involved young professional musicians or very good amateurs. Many of the members moved to London and kept the orchestra going – now known as The Rehearsal Orchestra.

This well-established orchestra runs training courses, as well as performing difficult repertoires, without the pressure of public performances, and the Friday Rehearsal Orchestra was founded on some of the same principals as the Edinburgh Rehearsal Orchestra.

June, who plays the bassoon, has performed with many orchestras over the years, but, by 1990, found that she was not getting as much orchestral playing as she had been used to, so found that, one way of getting round this was to start her own.

Along with two friends, Jean Kershaw and Judith Duncan, who both still play with the orchestra, and her then-husband, Geoffrey Emerson, who was the orchestra’s first conducter, she set about gathering players together, and the orchestra has been meeting every Friday evening since.

At the moment, said June, the orchestra has 40 members who travel from as far afield as Scarborough, Guisborough, Whitby and York, as well as those who live locally, and they try and accommodate all tastes and styles of music.

“Our harpist comes across from York, and so we try to do one piece each term which involves a harp,” said June.

Fundraising is a very important part of the orchestra’s work, as it is independently funded, and hiring the music to play can be expensive – especially some of the more modern works which they need to source from publishers.

The orchestra also pays a professional conductor and leader, so they need a constant flow of income. Members pay a subscription fee, and hold an end of term party and a weekly raffle to raise funds.

“Our conductor, Tim Brooks, is very inspiring and really knows what he is doing and has been with us for two years, and our excellent leader is Paul de Villanueva, who travels over from Scarborough,” said June. “We are determined to stay independent, but it can be a struggle sometimes.”

Several of the members have played with the orchestra since its inception, though it is always evolving and there are places currently available for people to join.

“There are a few vacancies in the strings, brass and percussion sections,” said June.

Many of the orchestra’s past members joined those who currently attend for the 20th birthday party, which took place last month.

“It was wonderful,” said June. “We managed to get lots of people who have played in the past to play on the night, when we performed some of the music that we played during our first season in 1990. Three local children who’ve been learning the Dam Busters March also joined us. Friends and relatives were invited to hear us play, and we celebrated with a huge chocolate cake and bubbly afterwards.”

So what does June envisage for the future of the Friday Rehearsal Orchestra?

“We’re hoping to involve more local players if we can,” she said.

“Apart from that, we’d just like to be able to go on doing what we do.”

The Friday Rehearsal Orchestra meets from September-March in the Kirkbymoorside Memorial Hall. Hear it at www.myspace.com/fridayrehearsalorchestra

The orchestra has an open rehearsal and party on Friday, March 26, at 7.30pm as Kirkbymoorside Memorial Hall.

If you’re interested in joining, phone June on 01751 430907.