CONCERTS GIVEN BY THE WOODBRIDGE ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY

The earliest evidence of the existence of a Woodbridge Orchestral band was in 1883, when they performed with the Woodbridge Choral Society on Tuesday February 6^th, 1883. The Choral Society was formed in 1882, and this was their first concert. A photostat copy of the programme is in existence. The first half comprised ten short items, a number of them solo items, whereas the second half was devoted to van Bree’s Cantata, “St.Cecilia’s Day”. In the orchestra there were 2 Violin I’s, 5 Violin II’s, 3 Violas, 2 Cellos, Double-Bass, 3 flutes, 2 Clarinets, 1 Bassoon. 2 Horns, 2 Cornets, Drums, Piano and Organ. The leader of the band was a Mr. Cullingford (1^st Violin).

It seems that the Woodbridge Orchestral Society officially came into being 25 years later in 1907.

W.O.S. = Woodbridge Orchestral Society W.C.C. = Woodbridge Choral Society

W.P.S. = Woodbridge Philharmonic Society (Choir)

For most of the concerts, listed beneath, a programme and list of participants exists

Concert description	Societies participating	Date of concert	Conductor
7^th concert	W.E.A. Orchestra	Tue Apr 1^st, 1924.	Alfred J. Dye
8^th concert	W.O.S.	Tue Feb 3^rd, 1925.	Alfred J. Dye
9^th concert	W.O.S.	Tue Dec 1st, 1925.	Alfred J. Dye
10^th concert	W.O.S.	Tue Feb 8th, 1927	Alfred J. Dye
11^th concert	W.O.S.	Wed Feb 29th, 1928.	Alfred J. Dye
12^th concert	W.O.S.	Tue Apr 1^st, 1930.	Alfred J. Dye
	W.O.S.	Apr 5th, 1938	Alfred J. Dye
	W.O.S.	Apr 1st, 1939**	Alfred J. Dye
	W.O.S.	Wed Nov 12^th, 1941
Deben and Woodbridge Warship week	W.O.S.	Wed Feb 11^th, 1942
Wings for Victory Week	W.O.S.	Wed May 12^th, 1943
	W.O.S.	Wed May 3rd, 1944
	W.O.S.	Wed Apr 18^th, 1945
	W.P.S. ass. by W.O.S	Wed Apr 10^th, 1946	Philip Haines
	W.P.S. and W.O.S	Wed Apr 17^th, 1946	Philip Haines
	W. S.S	25^th Nov, 1946	Philip Haines
Handel’s Messiah	W.C.S. and W.O.S	December 18^th, 1946	Philip Haines
Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast	W.C.S. ass. by W.O.S	Wed Apr 9^th, 1947	Philip Haines
Felixstowe Ladies College	W.O.S.	March 13th, 1948
Haydn’s Creation	W.C.S. ass. by W.O.S	Wed Apr 7^th, 1948	Philip Haines
Messiah Christmas Carols	W.C.S. ass. by W.O.S	Wed Dec 22nd, 1948	Philip Haines
“Tom Jones” Edward German	W.C.S. ass. by W.O.S	Fri Apr 8^th, 1949	Philip Haines
The Sailor and his Lass	W.C.S. ass. by W.O.S	Frid Apr 14^th, 1950	Roger Quilter Composer
Masonic Hall	W.O.S.	Mar 15th, 1950
Clopton Church thanksgiving	W.O.S.	Wed 23^rd May, 1951	Philip Haines
Conducted own composition	W.O.S.	Febr 25th, 1952	Bernard Barrell
Framlingham College	W.O.S.	1^st Mar, 1952	Philip Haines
Varied programme	W.C.S. ass. by W.O.S	Fri Apr 4^th, 1952	Philip Haines
Sutton	W.O.S	Sat, Jul 27th, 1952
Melton Church	W.O.S.	May 17th, 1953
Christmas music	W.C.S. and W.O.S	Thu, Dec 10^th, 1953	Philip Haines
Conducted own composition	W.O.S.	Mar 6^th, 1954	Bernard Barrell
Varied programme	W.C.S. and W.O.S	Wed 7^th Apr, 1954	Philip Haines
Varied programme	W.O.S.	Tue, 19^th Apr, 1955	Dora Fox, Bernard Barrell
Varied programme	W.O.S.	Fri, 6^th Apr 1956	Dora Fox, Bernard Barrell
Masonic Hall	W.O.S.	Mon, Mar 25, 1957	Bernard Barrell
The Bartered Bride	W.C.S. and W.O.S	Tue, 26^th Apr, 1960	Gordon Hawkins, Bernard Barrell
Crown Assembly Rooms	W.O.S.	Mar 16^th, 1961	Bernard Barrell
Carmen and Highways	W.C.S. and W.O.S	Tue, 3^rd April 1962	Gordon Hawkins
Hymns of Praise Missa Brevis	W.C.S. and W.O.S	Tue, 4^th Dec, 1962	Gordon Hawkins, Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Tue, Apr 30^th, 1963	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Tue, Apr 28^th,1964	Bernard Barrell
National Hall, Sun Lane	W.O.S.	Tue, Apr 27^th,1965	Bernard Barrell
National Hall, Sun Lane	W.O.S.	Tue, May 3^rd,1966	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, Apr 17^th, 1967	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, Apr 28th, 1968	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, Mar 31^st,1969	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, May 4^th, 1970	Bernard Barrell
At home attended by Imogen Holst	W.O.S.	Mon, May 3rd, 1971	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, May 1st, 1972	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, May 7^th, 1973	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, May 6^th, 1974	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, May 5^th, 1976	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, May 17^th, 1975	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon May 16^th, 1977	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, May 15^th, 1978	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, Apr 2^nd, 1979	Bernard Barrell
At home attended by William Alwyn	W.O.S.	Mon Apr 6^th 1981	Bernard Barrell
At home 75^th birthday Imogen Holst	W.O.S.	Mon 29^th Mar, 1982	Bernard Barrell
100^th Anniversary of W.C.S.	W.C.S. and W.O.S	Sat, 19^th Mar,1983	Gordon Hawkins
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 21^st Mar, 1983	Bernard Barrell
At home comm. Imogen Holst’s death	W.O.S.	Mon, 2^nd Apr, 1984	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 29^th Apr, 1985	Bernard Barrell
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 28^th Apr, 1986	James Butt
At home	W.O.S.	1987
At home	W.O.S.	1988
At home	W.O.S.	1989
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 2^nd Apr, 1990	Andrew Fairley
At home	W.O.S.	1991	Andrew Fairley
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 6^th Apr, 1992	Andrew Fairley
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 29^th Mar, 1993	Andrew Fairley
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 21^st Mar, 1994	Andrew Fairley
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 3^rd Apr, 1995	Andrew Fairley
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 25^th Mar, 1996	Andrew Fairley
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 24^th Mar, 1997	Andrew Fairley
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 30^th Mar, 1998	Andrew Fairley
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 29^th Mar, 1999	Andrew Fairley
Millennium Concert	W.O.S.	Sun. 16^th Apr, 2000	Andrew Fairley Neville Reeder
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 2^nd Apr, 2001	Neville Reeder
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 18^th Mar, 2002	Neville Reeder
At home	W.O.S.	Mon, 7^th April, 2003	Neville Reeder
Community Hall, Wdbge	W.O.S.	Sun. 4^th Apr, 2004	Neville Reeder
Snape Maltings	Suffolk Coastal and English Sinfonia	Sat. 12^th Feb, 2005	Patrick Bailey
Community Hall, Wdbge	W.O.S.	Sun. 2^nd Apr, 2006	Neville Reeder Andrew Fairley
100^th Anniversary Seckford Theatre, Wdbge	W.O.S. and friends	Sun. 4^th Feb, 2007	Patrick Bailey Neville Reeder Andrew Fairley
At home(Kyson school)	W.O.S.	Mon 17^th Mar, 2008	Neville Reeder
At home(Kyson school)	W.O.S.	Mon 30^th Mar, 2009	Neville Reeder
Piano Concerto Concert	W.O.S.	Sun 28^th Feb 2010	Neville Reeder Paul Benyon

** The 1939 concert included a piece Diversions on an Original Theme by our late President Bernard Barrell.

The programmes for the years 1986-89 and 1991 are missing. If anyone has a copy that they could let me have, I would be grateful if you would please send an E-mail to let me know.