About
About Blackpool Symphony Orchestra
Inspiring music, community, and creativity across Blackpool
Under the dynamic leadership of Music Director and Conductor Helen Harrison, Blackpool Symphony Orchestra continues to grow in stature and ambition. We are proud of our versatility as an orchestra being at home performing classical heavy weights, contemporary music, opera, light music, film music, musical theatre, pop music – the list is long and testimony to the skills and talents of our players who come from across the North West to make music together.
Our performances showcase an exciting blend of classical favourites, music that deserves to be heard and music composed today sharing the transformative power of music with our loyal and valued audiences.
We champion living composers and underrepresented voices bringing new music to life alongside traditional repertoire. Recent performances by living composers have featured works by Anna Appleby, Nigel Clarke, Edward Rugman; in 2026 our Come and Play String Day will highlight music by Adrienne Spilsbury. We are playing our part in expanding the classical music that deserves to be heard with performances of pieces by Beach, Chaminade, Coleridge-Taylor, Farrenc, Gipps, Mayer, Price, Chaminade and more.
Our commitment to community and education is central to our work. We celebrated 10 years as ‘Orchestra in Residence’ for Our Lady of the Assumption RC Primary School in 2022. Projects have included collaborative concerts in professional venues, side by side performances, ‘Have a Go’ conducting and ‘Passenger Seat’ rehearsals. We love working collaboratively with local ensembles including Poulton People’s Choir, Preston Opera and Musica Lirica.
Beyond the concert hall, we bring the joy of music to unexpected places and love our ‘Pop up’ Performances in Blackpool Victoria Hospital raising funds for the Blue Skies Project.
We’re proud to support the next generation of musicians with a strong contingent of young players joining to experience the life changing wonder of classical music including providing opportunities for concerto performances for those pursuing careers in Music. Many of our young players have gone on to study Music at University or at leading conservatoires and pursued successful careers in the music profession.
Founded in 1921 by Percy Dayman, Blackpool Symphony Orchestra has been part of the town’s rich musical heritage for over a century.
Although our centenary celebrations were postponed due to the COVID lockdowns, our orchestra continued to make music winning awards and commendations from the Royal Philharmonic Society, for our Lockdown recording of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ arranged and produced by composer Edward Rugman and his team raising £3,000 for Blackpool Food Bank.
We launched our successful Centenary + 1 year in September 2021 with a fantastic Last Night of the Proms with soloist Jane Irwin in the historic Grand Theatre, Blackpool.
Soloists and Guests
Workshops and Masterclasses
We run a string day in January every year which is open to members and non-members and often invite professional string players to be a guest section leader and run a coaching session.
Our woodwind and horn section have had a masterclass sectionals with Tim Jackson and Chris Swan.
Soloists and Guest Conductors
Our soloists have included former and current members of the orchestra who are working as professional musicians or peripatetic teachers, as well as students from the Royal Northern College of Music or young musicians who are in the process of applying to study Music.
COVID Lockdown
During the COVID lockdown Ed, together with his colleagues from Ten Forward Music Productions were instrumental in the production of our award winning virtual performance of Somewhere Over the Rainbow and other video projects, The Making of Over the Rainbow and Life on Pause.
