- Meet Paul McCusker - our new guest conductor!
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Date Posted: Wed, 3 Apr 2024
We are delighted to welcome Paul McCusker as the guest conductor for our upcoming Summer Concert!
Having completed his PhD in molecular parasitology in 2014, Paul worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Biological Sciences at QUB before leaving in 2017 to study conducting at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with Garry Walker and Alasdair Mitchell. There, he won the Hugh S Roberton prize for orchestral conducting, participated in a workshop with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and conducted the Red Note Ensemble in concert. In 2018 he won the panel and orchestra prizes at the Feis Ceoil Conducting Competition with the RTE Concert Orchestra, which led to a concert performance with the orchestra.
Paul has subsequently conducted the Ulster Orchestra, Ulster Youth Orchestra and Esker Festival Orchestra as well as founding/directing Laganside Sinfonia, a Belfast based charity orchestra that has raised around £20,000 for local charities since its establishment. While working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Medical College of Wisconsin, USA (2018 – 2020), he established an orchestra before returning to QUB in 2020.
Paul is also a regular player in our first violin section and we are looking forward to working under his direction over the next few weeks!
To read Paul's full biography, head to our Conductors page.
- Orchestral Masterpieces concert 2024 - a memorable evening!
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Date Posted: Sun, 10 Mar 2024
A huge SSO thank you to everyone who came along to our Orchestral Masterpieces Concert last night! Alongside works by Sibelius and Tchaikovsky, we were treated to a wonderful performance of Weber's Bassoon Concerto by Greg Topping - well done, Greg! Congratulations to our leader Zuzanna and all our players and a special mention must go to our guest conductor Tanya Houghton. We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Tanya over the last few weeks and sincerely hope that there will be an opportunity for her to join us again in the near future.
Thank you also to everyone on the SSO committee for putting the whole concert together and to the family of our founder Dr Havelock Nelson who continue to support their father's legacy.
- A warm welcome to Greg Topping!
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Date Posted: Sun, 11 Feb 2024
A warm SSO welcome to Greg Topping who will be the bassoon soloist in our Orchestral Masterpieces concert on Saturday 9th March. Greg will be perfoming Weber's ever-popular Bassoon Concerto in F major.
An accomplished player and member of the Ulster Orchestra, Greg has recently played a key role in the success of the "To Bassoon and Beyond" collaboration between the EA Music Service and the Ulster Orchestra which was recognised as the Classic FM Best Music Learning Initiative in 2023.
Learn more about Greg by clicking here!
- Tickets are now on sale for our Orchestral Masterpieces concert!
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Date Posted: Fri, 9 Feb 2024
We will return to the Elmwood Hall QUB on Saturday 9th March for this season’s Orchestral Masterpieces Concert, our annual tribute to our founder Dr Havelock Nelson. Tickets are now available from https://www.wegottickets.com/event/608765/
Sibelius - Karelia Suite
Weber - Bassoon concerto (Soloist - Greg Topping)
Tchaikovsky - Symphony no 4
Conductor - Tanya Houghton
Leader - Zuzanna Edmonds
We begin with the Karelia Suite which was the first major triumph of Sibelius as a composer and has been a regular concert favourite ever since its first performance in 1893.
Weber's ever-popular Bassoon Concerto in F major was written in a mere four days in 1811. and we are delighted to welcome Greg Topping as our soloist. An accomplished player and member of the Ulster Orchestra, Greg has recently played a key role in the success of the "To Bassoon and Beyond" collaboration between the EA Music Service and the Ulster Orchestra which was recognised as the Classic FM Best Music Learning Initiative in 2023.
Tchaikovsky's Symphony No.4 begins with one of the most arresting and dramatic openings in all of symphonic literature as the composer depicts the inexorable power of Fate with stunning fanfares by the brass and winds. Written following a turbulent period in his personal life, the first performance was given in 1878.
- 2023 - a memorable year!
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Date Posted: Thu, 28 Dec 20232023 certainly turned out to be a memorable year for the Studio Symphony Orchestra. We celebrated our 75th Anniversary, said farewell to David and Otti, welcomed Zuzanna, enjoyed working with Philip and Tanya and did a few concerts too!
Thanks for your support and we look forward to sharing our plans for 2024 very soon!
- Lots of fun at our Christmas Concert!
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Date Posted: Sun, 26 Nov 2023
We enjoyed a magical evening at last night's Christmas Concert in the Island Arts Centre! A special thanks to our young helpers who joined the percussion section for an energetic Sleigh Ride - you were amazing!
Thank you to our guest conductor Philip Walton for leading us so diligently over the last few weeks and for compèring the concert. Congratulations to our leader Zuzanna Edmonds for her incredible performance of Vivaldi's Winter from The Four Seasons.
Our thanks also go to the whole committee for putting together all the arrangements.
And to you, our lovely audience, thank you once again for your support! Merry Christmas!
- Tickets are now on sale for our Christmas Concert!
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Date Posted: Wed, 1 Nov 2023
Certain to warm the heart of even Ebenezer Scrooge, the Studio Symphony Orchestra returns to the Island Hall, Lisburn on Saturday 25th November for a Christmas Concert guaranteed to get everyone in a festive mood!
Get into the Christmas spirit with a wonderful evening of music making - just the thing to get the festive season off to a great start!
Tickets are now on sale https://www.laganvalleyisland.co.uk/.../Studio.../335627
Find out more by heading to our events page
- A wonderful start to our 76th season!
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Date Posted: Sun, 15 Oct 2023
A huge SSO thank you to everyone who came along to our Autumn Concert last night! We were treated to a wonderful performance of Saint-Saëns' Cello Concerto No.1 by Rosalie Curlett - well done, Rozzie!
Congratulations to our leader Zuzanna and all our players and a special mention must go to our guest conductor Tanya Houghton. We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Tanya over the last few weeks and sincerely hope that there will be an opportunity for her to join us again in the near future.
Thank you also to everyone on the SSO committee for putting the whole concert together.
To see more photos from this concert, head to our Photos section!
- A warm welcome to Tanya!
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Date Posted: Sun, 10 Sep 2023
A warm SSO welcome to Tanya Houghton who will be our conductor for the opening concert of our 76th season!
A talented harpist, singer and musical director, Tanya brings a wealth of professional experience to the rostrum and we are enjoying our rehearsals under her direction.
Learn more about Tanya by visiting our Conductors page.
- Welcome to our 76th season!
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Date Posted: Sun, 3 Sep 2023
As the days get shorter, it's time for us to head back to rehearsals and get our 76th season underway!
Key dates for your diary include:- Autumn concert on Saturday 14th October in St.Comgall's Parish Centre, Bangor
- Christmas concert on Saturday 25th November in the Island Hall, Lisburn
- Orchestral Masterpieces concert on Saturday 9th March in the Elmwood Hall, QUB, Belfast
- Summer concert on Saturday 18th May in St.Comgall's Parish Centre, Bangor
- Welcome Zuzanna!
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Date Posted: Fri, 21 Jul 2023
We are delighted to have appointed Zuzanna Edmonds as our new leader. Zuzanna is a current member of the Ulster Orchestra, and brings a wealth of professional experience to the role. Her first concert with us was in June and was a great success. We enjoy working with her enormously and look forward to many more concerts together!
