Lancaster University hosts memorial concert for Lancashire Schools’ Symphony Orchestra founder

Sunday September 4 will see the Malcolm Doley Memorial Concert take place - a concert 50 years in the making.

It was back in 1972 that the Lancashire Schools’ Symphony Orchestra was founded by the late Malcolm Doley, the chief music advisor to the Lancashire County Education Service at the time.

Over the next 23 three years Malcolm led the orchestra to some remarkable heights, notably performing in major venues in Argentina, South East Asia, Scandinavia and the USA, as well as performing and winning a national competition at the Royal Festival Hall, London.

Alumni players from the ‘Doley Years’ (1972-1995) will meet for a weekend reunion culminating in a concert performance at Lancaster University’s Great Hall.

The orchestra will include many professional players from the country’s leading orchestras, as well as music teachers, keen amateurs and one or two ex members who will be blowing the dust from their long-discarded instruments!

The orchestra will be conducted by Stephen Bell, member of the orchestra from 1976-1980, and currently Associate Conductor of the Halle Orchestra amongst other posts.

Proceeds will go to the ‘Friends of Lancashire County Ensembles’ to help young musicians

Organiser of the weekend Tom Oldham, a consultant anaesthetist at Royal Lancaster Infirmary, said: “This concert will definitely stir some memories and it will be interesting to see what we can produce musically with just a weekend’s reunion and rehearsal!!”

More details can be found on Lancaster Arts website.