This spring, the newly formed fifty member Wessex Symphonica will give an anniversary concert commemorating the late Sir Dan Godfrey, who, in May one hundred and thirty years earlier was appointed Musical Director of a group of musicians later to be named Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra.

The programme will consist of music performed or recorded by Godfrey and the Municipal Orchestra - Mozart's Jupiter symphony and shorter works by Coleridge Taylor, Percy Grainger, and Cecil White. Some manuscripts used by Sir Dan will be presented to Bournemouth Library. to augment their Godfrey archive.

Wessex Symphonica consists of excellent players, many from Bournemouth, Poole, and surrounding districts, augmented by other friends (from Cumbria, Wales, Manchester and Kent) of the conductor, David Shirt. David played, taught, and conducted in Bournemouth before moving further north in 1968. In the early 1960s David founded and conducted the eighty member Southern Youth Orchestra whose concert venues covered most of the south coast, and the Royal Albert Hall in London. With his wife Mary he returned to this area (living in Poole) a year ago. Over more than six decades he has conducted amateur and professional orchestras in England, Scotland, and much of Continental Europe.

All tickets proceeds will be donated to the charity Nordoff Robbins who achieve such outstanding results with music therapy, supporting and connecting with people living with life-limiting disability, illness, and isolation.

The concert is set to take place on Saturday 6th May 2023 at Bournemouth Pavilion Ballroom, click here to purchase tickets.