Dorset County Orchestra performing Mahler's Symphony No. 1 in St. Mary's, Dorchester
Registered Charity 1050778 |
The Dorset County Orchestra has been delighting audiences for more than half a century, having been formed as long ago as 1951 at the instigation of the then County Music Organiser, Joan Brocklebank. The first conductor was the young Lawrence Leonard. Apart from its first season, when it received financial help from the Carnegie Trust, the orchestra has made its own way through subscriptions, concert proceeds and sponsorship.
The members of the orchestra come from all over Dorset and continue, under their present conductor Ian Pillow, to perform a wide selection from the classical repertoire. There have also been many successful joint ventures with local choral societies. As a local amateur orchestra they welcome membership enquiries from enthusiastic and committed players.
| Dorset County Orchestra performing the World Première of Ian Pillow's Sinfonia Concertante for Viola, Bass Trombone and Orchestra in St. Mary's Church, Swanage, 23rd June 2012. |
Principal Conductor: Ian Pillow
Ian Pillow was born in Ealing, London, and studied viola and piano at the Royal Academy of Music. His first professional engagements were with the major London orchestras before joining the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, becoming its co-principal viola. A long period of teaching, lecturing, conducting and playing - including a spell with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, was followed by a desire to return to the BSO for a quiet life on the back desks. His quiet life (in front of the brass and percussion) includes being assistant orchestra manager, conductor of the BSO's brass ensemble and conductor of the orchestra's joint amateur and youth orchestra projects. He also presents pre-concert talks, and for six years wrote for Classic FM Magazine. He has also been a feature writer for The Independent and Express on Sunday.
Leader: Anita Hansen
Anita Hansen graduated from the Royal College of Music where she studied with Alan Loveday, then spent a year at Reading University to gain her Diploma in Education. Following this she was appointed to the staff of the Dorset Rural Music School and taught violin, viola, 'cello and piano. Since then Anita has had a wide range of teaching experience, in schools and privately, and has been involved with innumerable chamber music ensembles and orchestras in the south, including the Dorset Chamber Orchestra, of which she is the leader. She enjoys playing a wide variety of music from Oratorio to Broadway musicals.
