Orchestra Rehearsals
Normal reahearsal times and venues:
Tuesday rehearsals: 19.00 - 21.30hrs in the main school hall (Eaton Grove) at Norwich High
School, Newmarket Road, Norwich. (NHS in the list below)
Due to the St Andrew’s Hall refurbishment work, some venues and times for final rehearsals and concerts will vary. Please refer to the list below for further details.
Venue key: SAH=St Andrew's Hall. KCEN=King's Centre NR1 1PH. CATH=Norwich Cathedral. NEC=Norfolk Events Centre, Showground, NR5 0TT
Members are expected to be available for all the relevant
dates listed
below, unless a special arrangement is made with your section
leader (strings and wind: Chris Elston, brass: Laurence Thistlewood,
percussion: Andy Newman).
In addition, please inform your section leader if there is a last-minute
problem about getting to a rehearsal. Only if you fail to make contact by
this method should you try to phone Chris Elston (07957 314857) or Catrina Nixon
07952 468363) or another member known to be coming to the rehearsal.
You can check the instrumentation for all the 2025-26 works at the bottom of this page.
(rehearsal schedule below last updated 16:00, 23 Jul 2025)
PLEASE NOTE the players required, repertoire and venues may be subject
to future changes. Such changes are always posted here as soon as
possible after they are announced.
| Date | Venue | Time | Players required |
| Tuesday 16th September | NHS | 19:00 | Full: Repertoire night |
| Tuesday 23rd September | NHS | 19:00 | (Sibelius/Brahms) FULL |
| Tuesday 30th September | NHS | 19:00 | (Sibelius/Brahms) 2 sectionals : Strings: NHS Main Hall, WW/Hns: NHS Drama Studio |
| Tuesday 7th October | NHS | 19:00 | (Sibelius/Brahms) Strings, woodwind, horns |
| Tuesday 14th October | NHS | 19:00 | (Dvořák/Suk/Janáček) FULL |
| Tuesday 21st October | NHS | 19:00 | (Sibelius/Brahms) Strings, woodwind, horns |
| Tuesday 28th October | (no rehearsal - school half term week) | ||
| Tuesday 4th November | NHS | 19:00 | (Sibelius/Brahms) FULL |
| Friday 7th November | CATH | 19:00 | FULL |
| Saturday 8th November | CATH | 14:00 | FULL |
Saturday 8th November |
CATH |
19:30 |
Sibelius: Symphony No.7, Brahms: A German Requiem |
| Tuesday 11th November | NHS | 19:00 | (Dvořák/Suk/Janáček) FULL |
| Tuesday 18th November | NHS | 19:00 | (Dvořák/Suk/Janáček) 2 sectionals : Strings: NHS Main Hall, WW/Hns: NHS Drama Studio |
| Tuesday 25th November | NHS | 19:00 | (Dvořák/Suk/Janáček) Strings, woodwind, horns |
| Wednesday 3rd December | NHS | 19:00 | (Dvořák/Suk/Janáček) FULL NOTE CHANGE OF DAY |
| Friday 5th December | NHS | 19:00 | FULL - note venue |
| Saturday 6th December | NEC | 14:00 | FULL |
Saturday 6th December |
NEC |
19:30 |
Dvořák: Cello Concerto, Suk: Scherzo Fantastique, Janáček: Taras Bulba |
| Tuesday 9th December | NHS | 19:00 | (Xmas) FULL |
| Monday 15th December | NEC | 19:00 | (Xmas) FULL |
Tuesday 16th December |
NEC |
19:30 |
Christmas Concert |
| Tuesday 6th January | NHS | 19:00 | (Prok/Rach/?) FULL |
| Tuesday 13th January | NHS | 19:00 | (Prok/Rach/?) 2 sectionals : Strings: NHS Main Hall, WW/Hns: NHS Drama Studio |
| Tuesday 20th January | NHS | 19:00 | (Prok/Rach/?) Strings, woodwind, horns |
| Tuesday 27th January | NHS | 19:00 | (Elgar) FULL |
| Tuesday 3rd February | NHS | 19:00 | (Prok/Rach/?) FULL |
| Tuesday 10th February | NHS | 19:00 | (Prok/Rach/?) FULL |
| Friday 13th February | NHS | 19:15pm | (Prok/Rach/?) FULL |
| Saturday 14th February | SAH(tbc) | 14:00pm | (Prok/Rach/?) FULL |
Saturday 14th February |
SAH(tbc) |
19:30 |
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.3, Rachmaninov: Symphony No.1, 3rd piece tbc |
| Tuesday 17th February | (no rehearsal - school half term week) | ||
| Tuesday 24th February | NHS | 19:00pm | (Elgar) FULL |
| Tuesday 3rd March | NHS | 19:00pm |
(Elgar) 2 Sectionals: Strings: NHS Main Hall, Ww, Hns, Brass: NHS Drama Studio |
| Tuesday 10th March | NHS | 19:00pm |
(Elgar) Strings, woodwind, horns | Tuesday 17th March | NHS | 19:00pm |
(Elgar) FULL |
| Friday 20th March | SAH | 19:00pm | (Elgar) FULL |
| Saturday 21st March | SAH (tbc) | 14:00pm | FULL |
Saturday 21st March |
SAH (tbc) |
19:30pm |
Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius |
| Tuesday 24th March | NHS | 19:00pm | (Kids) FULL |
| Friday 27th March | NHS | 19:00pm | (Kids) FULL |
| Saturday 28th March | KCEN (tbc) | 10:30am | (Kids) FULL |
Saturday 28th March |
KCEN (tbc) |
14:30pm and 16:30pm | Children's Concerts - works tbc |
| (Tue 31st Mar - 14th Apr incl) | EASTER BREAK | ||
| Tuesday 21st April | NHS | 19:00pm | (NNF) FULL |
| Tuesday 28th April | NHS | 19:00pm | (NNF) 2 Sectionals: Strings: NHS Main Hall, Ww, Hns, Brass: NHS Drama Studio |
| Tuesday 5th May | NHS | 19:00pm | (NNF) Strings, woodwind, horns |
| Tuesday 12th May | NHS | 19:00pm | (NNF) FULL |
| Tuesday 19th May | NHS | 19:00pm | (NNF) FULL |
| Friday 22nd May | SAH (tbc) | 19:00pm | (NNF) FULL |
| Saturday 23rd May | SAH (tbc) | 14:00pm | (NNF) FULL |
Saturday 23rd May |
SAH (tbc) |
19:30pm |
Concert: Walton: Henry V - A Shakespeare Scenario, Walton: Belshazzar's Feast |
Instrumentation for 2025-26 works
| Concert | Works | Instrumentation |
| Tuesday 16th September (Repertoire night) Norwich High School |
tba | |
| Saturday 8th November Norwich Cathedral |
Sibelius: Symphony No.7 - 21' Brahms: A German Requiem - 68' |
2222/4330/T/Str 3223/4231/T/Hp/Str/SATB.SoloSB |
| Saturday 6th December NEC Showground |
Dvořák: Cello Concerto - 40' (with Tom Isaac) Suk: Scherzo Fantastique - 14' Janáček: Taras Bulba - 24' |
2[1.2/pic]222/3231/T1P/Str 3[1.2.pic]3[1.2.Eh]3[1.2.bcl]2/4231/T3P/Hp/Str 3[1.2.3/pic]3[1.2.Eh]23[1.2.3/cbn]/4331/T2P/Hp.Org/Str |
| Tuesday 17th December (Christmas Concert) NEC Showground |
Repertoire tbc | |
| Saturday 14th February HALLS (tbc) |
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.3 - 27' (with Alexander Ullman) Rachmaninov: Symphony No.1 - 40' (3rd work tbc) |
2222/4230/T1P/Str 3222/4331/T5P/Str |
| Saturday 21st March HALLS (tbc) |
Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius - 100' |
3333/4331/T4P/Hp.Org/Str/SATB.SoloMsTB |
| Saturday 28th March (Children's Concert) Kings's Centre (tbc) |
Repertoire tbc | |
| Saturday 23rd May (Norfolk and Norwich Festival) HALLS |
Walton: Henry V: A Shakespeare Scenario (arr Christopher Palmer) - 53' Walton: Belshazzar's Feast - 36' |
3332/4331/T4P/Hp/Hpsd.Pno.Cel(opt).Org/Str/SATB/children's chorus/speaker 3223/4331/Asx[or Eh]/2 opt brass ens, each 3tp, 3tbn, tuba/ T4P/2Hp.Org.Pf(opt)/Str/SATB.SoloB |
Dates for thel 2026-2027season concert dates have not yet been finalised. They will be posted here in due course.