Wymondham Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Concert will be on 28 June 2025 at 7pm at Wymondham Abbey Church.
The orchestra will be performing Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6, "Pathétique", alongside Liszt's Rákóczi March and Dvo?ák's Cello Concerto in B minor (for which they are delighted to welcome back soloist Ben Rogerson). It will be a bittersweet event because it will be the last concert with their Musical Director of the last 20+ years: Andrew Parnell.
In Andrew’s own words: “It's been a great privilege for me to have directed WSO for the last 22 years - a privilege because Tuesday after Tuesday, 50 or so musicians, all from different walks of life and a variety of musical experiences, come together to make music as an orchestra and follow my suggestions and interpretations as we work together to prepare music for a concert. For much of my professional life, I have been engaged to encourage, and train to some extent, many people for whom music is not their paid work. Indeed, they pay a subscription for the time we spend together. Bringing such a range of talents in a common ambition to put on as professional a performance as possible is most fulfilling, especially if we can also have fun while we do it. Wymondham Symphony Orchestra has supported that idea wholeheartedly, and it's their camaraderie and communal aspiration which make the striving for excellent performances so effective.”
He recalls some of his highlights of working with the orchestra over the past two decades: “There have been many highlights: some memorable performances, some moments in rehearsals which emanate from the banter between me and the players. One Tuesday evening, we found a note in the box of orchestral parts which the then-librarian had prepared for us. It said: "Music For Wymondham Symphony Orchestra rehearsal 27.4.2010. South Hall, Wymondham High School. Sorry can't make it - waters broke at 4.00 am! Have fun and see you soon." Such has been the spontaneity of our music-making! The Orchestra's founder, Ren Cleary, and its committee have always worked hard to prepare for rehearsals and concerts, and they need special mention for the way, during Covid, that we were able to continue playing with 2-metre spacing and with limited numbers allowed in the Hall.
Another moment was when we played a concert in Cromer Parish Church in aid of the local Lifeboat. For that night, we included Malcolm Arnold's March Padstow Lifeboat. Soon after the concert started, a significant proportion of the audience disappeared on a rescue at sea!
Stand-out performances include Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending with Ceri Peterson playing the violin solo; Brahms' violin concerto with Juan Gonzales; our recent concerts when we challenged ourselves with Stravinsky's Firebird Suite and Britten's Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes. An extremely fine occasion, and an especially emotional one for me, was the Verdi Requiem in Ely Cathedral this March.”
The orchestra is immensely grateful for the time and dedication Andrew Parnell has given. President Adrienne Cleary said, “Having initiated the founding of the orchestra some 40 years ago now and assisted by the most dedicated committee, I am astounded at what started off as a very small Community Orchestra has now over the years become a full-sized Symphony Orchestra tackling the most demanding of works. We have only ever had two conductors spurring us on. For the first eighteen years, it was Kenneth Ian Hytch, and for the last twenty-two, Andrew Parnell. Sadly, it is time for Andrew to relinquish his role and for us to appoint a new conductor. He will be greatly missed but will leave behind the most inspiring of legacies.
Wymondham Symphony Orchestra is now recognised as one of the premier orchestras in Norfolk, attracting first-class professional soloists as well as giving a chance for the young, locally talented musicians to perform their very first concerto with the orchestra. We are lucky to be able to stage our concerts in the most beautiful of churches, Wymondham Abbey, a privilege to perform in and for audiences to visit and to hear its fine acoustics.”
Andrew Naylor (Committee Chair) also said: “Andrew's tenure as Musical Director has been marked by a willingness to challenge both players and audience with more ambitious works than most local orchestras would dare to perform. While the committee were nervous about the effect of this on audience figures, we needn't have been, as the Abbey has been packed each time.
Rehearsals have been fun, and it has been a musically fulfilling journey for those on both sides of the podium. He will be much missed by all of us for his insight and humour.”
While the orchestra will be sad to say goodbye to Andrew Parnell, they are looking ahead to the next stage of their journey. Recruitment for a new Musical Director is almost complete - so stay tuned to see who will be taking up the reins for the 2025/2026 season!
Tickets are available online at trybooking.com/uk/eventlist/wso or at the Wymondham Abbey shop. There will also be some availability on the door, but we encourage you to purchase tickets in advance to beat the queues. Prices are £15, Friends of the WSO £13 and under 18s are free.
