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Tonbridge Philharmonic Society is clearly looking for innovation in its programming, despite the proficiency with which they can perform mainstream repertoire. This programme was, to quote conductor Robin Morrish, a secular concert designed to convey the feeling of an English summer, nevertheless enhanced by the gloriously worshipful environment of Tonbridge School’s chapel, and the gradually...

To celebrate the 150th. anniversary of the birth of Sir Edward Elgar, Tonbridge Philharmonic Society presented an ambitious and unusual concert. The personal commitment to both the planning of the programme and the conducting was evident in the thoughtfulness and intensity which conductor Robin Morrish displayed. Clearly both choir and orchestra were inspired and carried along by his vision. We...

The three-yearly visit of members of the Heusenstamm Kantorei could not have been better timed for the ambitious all-Beethoven programme which took place in Tonbridge School Chapel on 23 June. The Mass in C and the Choral Symphony both present daunting challenges to any choir and the addition of 29 singers - and 17 splendid sopranos in particular - to the 93-strong Tonbridge Philharmonic Choir...

An encouragingly large and enthusiastic audience supported this special concert of the Tonbridge Philharmonic society given in Tonbridge School Chapel on Saturday 24 March. A warm welcome was extended to the guest conductor, Sir David Willcocks, who directed with quiet authority, clarity and decisiveness. Sir David's musical career has been both long and distinguished. The vast experience and...

The Tonbridge Philharmonic Society's Orchestral Concert on 17th February will be remembered for a long time by both orchestra and the audience. The concert was directed by guest-conductor, Michael Hitchcock. Hitchcock gave us an entertaining and informative introduction to the programme and it was clear from the outset that he had both orchestra and audience eating out of his hand. The three...

Tonbridge Philharmonic's decision to celebrate the Mozart anniversary year with an all-Mozart programme was a courageous one, for Mozart's music, so familiar and easy on the ear is notoriously difficult - the slightest imperfections can be all too obvious. For the orchestra especially the challenge was huge. There were to be no easy options in a programme which included the Overture to the Magic...

The Tonbridge Philharmonic Society completed its 60th anniversary season with an orchestral concert in Big School, Tonbridge School on Saturday 30th September. The orchestra has a fairly consistent membership and this was a distinct advantage considering the concert was being presented after only four weeks of rehearsal. A strong sense of teamwork was evident, as was the benefit of working...

The Tonbridge Philharmonic works hard; there was plenty of evidence to support this last Saturday when the combined chorus and orchestra performed a taxing programme of Mozart, Dvorak, and Holst. The early Mozart Regina Coeli was not only a good opener but an immediate refreshing combination of texture and spirit. Mozart was perhaps only 16 when he wrote this, a fact omitted from the programme...

The programme for this Spring Concert was highly musically demanding for both choir and orchestra together as one force and as separate entities. It is always a risky decision for a conductor to begin a concert with unaccompanied items for choir. The three Bruckner Motets require tremendous vocal control in terms of musical style, dynamic contrast and unblemished intonation. Yet the choir of...

A courageous choice of programme was one of the hallmarks of the second orchestral concert in the Tonbridge Philharmonic Society's season, presented mid-February at St. Stephen's church. It is not often we have an opportunity of hearing a live performance of Schumann's Overture, Scherzo & Finale nor, for that matter Carl Nielsen's first symphony, both of which present many formidable...