Morecambe’s Promenade Concert Orchestra celebrates its 50th concert

Morecambe’s Promenade Concert Orchestra celebrates its 50th concert this November by reviving musical memories of a classic radio programme.

Those Were The Days takes its name from a programme on ‘the wireless’ which was so popular that it survived for almost 40 years.

Although the Promenade Concert Orchestra is young in comparison, having been founded in 2007, it will relive a selection of dance music from the original programmes at The Platform in Morecambe on 24th November 2019.

Those Were The Days was originally broadcast on the Forces Programme before moving to the Light Programme and then Radio 2. For 23 years, the music was performed by Harry Davidson and his orchestra, succeeded by Sidney Davey.

Taking over their mantle for this special concert is conductor Howard Rogerson who founded the Promenade Concert Orchestra to give Morecambe Bay residents and visitors the chance to enjoy light orchestral music played by professional, semi-professional and amateur musicians from the Lancaster, Morecambe and Kendal area.

The Orchestra has since presented 49 light orchestral concerts during 12 successful seasons to more than 13,000 people and won awards along the way.

Among the pieces performed at the Those Were The Days concert will be Haydn Wood’s sequence for World War Two, “The Rose still blooms in Picardy”, which will be sung by soloist Rowena Thornton who has been singing professionally since the age of 17.

Those Were The Days launches the Orchestra’s 2019/2020 season which also includes a New Year Viennese Concert on 2th January; Music From The Palm Court on 20th March and Housewives Choice on 24th May 2020.

• Those Were The Days will be presented at 3pm on November 24 and tickets are priced £16/£14 concessions, accompanied children can attend for free. To book, ring The Platform Box Office on 01524 582803, email platformboxoffice@lancaster.gov.uk or visit www.lancaster.gov.uk