A concert featuring soloist Catherine Lawlor (pictured above) playing Kabalevsky’s violin concerto has raised £800 for the Portsea Pantry.

Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan was in attendance at the event in the Portsmouth Philharmonic’s ‘home’ venue of the Church of the Resurrection.

An audience of more than 80 also heard George Butterworth’s ‘The Banks of Green Willow’ and Joseph Haydn’s Drumroll Symphony.

Click here for a gallery of photos, taken by our photographer Colin Farmery, from the concert, which…

Hugh Carpenter, conductor of the Portsmouth Philharmonic since 2014, is set to lay down his baton after the orchestra's concert on Sunday March 24 in aid of the Portsea Pantry.

The programme features soloist Catherine Lawlor playing Kabalevsky's Violin Concerto in C Major, along with Butterworth's The Banks of Green Willow and Haydn's ‘Drumroll’ Symphony.

Proceeds of the concert will go to the Portsea Pantry and Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan will be attending the concert.

The concert starts at 3pm at the…

The Portsmouth Philharmonic handed over a cheque for £850 to Pompey in the Community at Fratton Park on Saturday, ahead of Pompey’s big match with Northampton.

At its December concert, which celebrated the 125^th anniversary season of the club, the orchestra premiered the Pompey ‘Overture’, composed by conductor Hugh Carpenter, in the club’s honour. He presented the cheque with Orchestra Chair Di Lloyd to Pompey midfielder Terry Devlin, accompanied by CEO Clare Martin and Jodie Anthony from PitC.

A bumper…

More than £800 has been raised for Pompey in the Community following the orchestra’s charity concert for the 125^th anniversary of Portsmouth FC on December 10, which featured the world premiere of the Pompey Overture, especially created to mark the occasion.

Composed by conductor Hugh Carpenter, the overture’s principal melody is jaunty and catchy, with some refrains which will be very familiar to the club’s supporters woven into the mix.

Attended by Pompey Legend Alan Knight MBE, the Lord Mayor of…

The Portsmouth Philharmonic is looking forward to welcoming you, along with special guest and Pompey legend Alan Knight MBE, to our charity concert on Sunday December 10 at 3pm (when else?) to celebrate 125 years of Portsmouth FC.

In aid of Pompey in the Community, the concert will also feature the premiere of the ‘Pompey Overture', composed by conductor Hugh Carpenter for the club's anniversary.

Also on the programme is Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture, Bizet's L'Arlesienne Suite No 2 and Schubert's fifth…

The premiere of the 'Pompey Overture' - a short piece of music composed by Hugh Carpenter, conductor of the Portsmouth Philharmonic to commemorate the club's 125^th anniversary - will take place at the 125^th anniversary concert for the club on December 10 (3pm).

Concert go-ers are also being encourage to wear club shirts or scarves, while ambassador Alan Knight MBE will be attending on behalf of the club and a shirt, signed by this season's squad, will be up for grabs in the raffle at the event.

Tickets for…

Following the decision of present conductor Hugh Carpenter to retire in 2024, the Portsmouth Philharmonic Orchestra is looking to appoint a new conductor to start in spring 2024.

The orchestra was founded by a small group of amateur musicians in 2009. Our aims are to promote
musical activities in the Portsmouth area and to regularly perform concerts to raise money for
charitable causes. We currently have approximately 40 amateur members who rehearse weekly, and
we have guest players we call upon to join us for…

A charity concert to celebrate 125 years of Portsmouth FC is being staged by the Portsmouth Philharmonic Orchestra next month to raise funds for Pompey in the Community.

Featuring music by Mendelssohn, Bizet and Schubert, the concert will be held at the Church of the Resurrection, Drayton – the orchestra’s home venue – at 3pm on Sunday December 10.

Since it was founded in 2009, the orchestra has raised more than £20,000 for local charities and orchestra chair Di Lloyd explained the thinking behind celebrating…

A Southsea food kitchen for the homeless has benefitted to the tune of £500, the proceeds of the Portsmouth Philharmonic Orchestra's performance at the Lee Coronation Celebration concert in May.

Orchestra chair Di Lloyd presented the cheque to Mike Morell, manager at The LifeHouse, and some of its volunteers who regularly feed and support homeless people in the city.

Di said: “The orchestra committee thought this was a really good cause to support. Some of our players and supporters volunteer at The LifeHouse…

A concert fit for a King was the latest outing for the Portsmouth Philharmonic Orchestra as it entertained an audience of almost 200 at Lee-on-the-Solent on Saturday in a special event to mark the coronation of King Charles III. The orchestra’s efforts raised £500 for charity.

With a programme reflecting the majesty of the occasion - including Elgar’s Pomp & Circumstance No 4 and Walton’s Crown Imperial - the orchestra was also joined by soprano Jennifer Parker-Lummis, who got the audience involved with her…

The latest concert by the Portsmouth Philharmonic raised £575 for Aurora New Dawn and was attended by the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress of Portsmouth, whose chosen charity was the beneficiary.

Featuring soloist Karen Travers, who performed Hayden's Trumpet Concerto, the programme also included Mozart's Don Giovanni's Overture and Dvorak's Eighth Symphony. A gallery of photos from the concert is available here

Orchestra Chair Di Lloyd said: "The Dvorak was one of the more challenging pieces the orchestra…

Dvorak's Eighth Symphony is the centrepiece of the latest charity concert by the Portsmouth Philharmonic in aid of Aurora New Dawn.

The charity is Portsmouth’s Lady Mayoress Marie Costa’s chosen cause for her year in the role, which comes to a close shortly. She will be in attendance along with the Lord Mayor.

Other works being performed at Haydn’s Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra, featuring Karen Travers as soloist, and Mozart’s Don Giovanni Overture.

Doors open at the Church of the Resurrection in Drayton…

More than £650 was raised at the last concert of the Portsmouth Philharmonic, to support the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance. 

The orchestra handed over a cheque for £656 at a recent rehearsal which was the proceeds of the event at the Church of the Resurrection in December. 

Natalie Russell, supporter engagement officer at the air ambulance charity said: “Thank you to each and every member of Portsmouth Philharmonic Orchestra for your brilliant support. Your generosity, passion, and talent sent…

The Portsmouth Philharmonic is delighted to announce a partnership with Bishops Printers to supply its print requirements for 2023. 

Since its formation in 2009, the orchestra has raised more than £20,000 for local charities and it sees the association with the city’s premier print firm as an important stage in its development. 

Orchestra Chair Di Lloyd said: “Since the pandemic we have been looking to professionalise our image and this relationship with Bishops Printers underpins that, allowing us to…

At its concert in November 2022, the Portsmouth Philharmonic dedicated the performance to founder Anne White, who retired from playing in the summer.

When Anne was a Southsea GP she had the idea of setting up an amateur orchestra in the city which would raise money for charity. 

She had played in the European Doctors’ Orchestra, where medic musicians came from all over the UK and Europe to play, and proceeds of the concerts went to a chosen charity.  

She was sure that a city the size of Portsmouth could…

Our concert featuring soloist Catherine Lawlor playing Max Bruch's violin concerto raised more than £650 for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.

Attended by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth Canon Cllr Hugh Mason and the Lady Mayoress Miss Marie Costa, a bumper audience was treated to a concert which also included a performance of Beethoven's Eighth Symphony and the Dambusters' March by Eric Coates.

Chair of the orchestra Di Lloyd said: 'This was a challenging concert for the orchestra, but it was a…

Saturday's concert, featuring music by Mendelssohn, Mozart and Gounod, has raised £420 for the Cavernoma Alliance UK charity

In its first public concert for more than two years, the Portsmouth Philharmonic put on an impressive show at its Church of the Resurrection home venue in Drayton, which delighted its loyal audience.

Orchestra conductor Hugh Carpenter said:‘It was a relief that we were at last able to perform in public and I thought the orchestra excelled itself. The Mendelssohn, in particular, is a…

Tickets are now on sale for the next charity concert of the Portsmouth Philharmonic, featuring music by Mendelssohn, Mozart and Gounod.

The concert, postponed from March, will take place on Saturday June 25 at the Church of the Resurrection, Penrhyn Road, Drayton starting at 7.30pm. 

The concert is in aid of Cavernoma Alliance UK (CAUK) and tickets can be bought online here priced £8 for adults with accompanied children free. Please note a booking fee applies to maximise the amount the concert raises.

…

An outbreak of Covid-19 among orchestra members has caused Saturday's concert in aid of the Cavernoma Alliance UK to be postponed.

The concert, which featured music by Mendelssohn, Gounod and Mozart, was due to take place at the Church of the Resurrection at Drayton, but an outbreak of Covid saw key members of the orchestra struck down.

Di Lloyd, Chair of the Orchestra, said: "We are all disappointed as this was our first full concert in over two years. It was unfortunate that crucial members of the…

Mozart's Magic Flute Overture has been added to the charity concert programme on Saturday March 26 (7.30pm) at the Church of the Resurrection in Drayton.

The concert, in aid of the Cavernoma Alliance UK, already had Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony and Gounod's Ballet Music from the opera Faust on the agenda. Tickets for the concert are £8 on the door (accompanied children are free) or can be bought online here (booking fee applies). 

The Portsmouth Philharmonic is back with its programme of charity concerts and is promoting its first public concert in more than two years, featuring Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony. 

In aid of the Cavernoma Alliance UK (CAUK), the orchestra will be performing at its ‘home’ venue of the Church of the Resurrection in Penrhyn Road, Drayton on Saturday March 26 at 7.30pm. 

As well as the Mendelssohn, the orchestra will also be performing Gounod’s Ballet Music from Faust, as well as a third piece to be…

The Portsmouth Philharmonic will play its first concert for two years when it puts on a programme featuring composers as varied as Schubert and Sousa on Sunday December 5 at the Church of the Resurrection, Drayton (3pm).

PPO last performed in December 2019 and only started rehearsals again in September following an 18-month gap for the pandemic.

To get back into the swing, Conductor Hugh Carpenter has put together an interesting programme which will also feature music by Vaughan Williams, Nicolai and…

The Portsmouth Philharmonic is delighted to announce it will be resuming rehearsals from September 2021.

After the cancellation of its last scheduled concert in March 2020, due to the pandemic, the orchestra has been in hibernation.

With restrictions now eased, the orchestra is picking up where it left off and, under the guidance of conductor Hugh Carpenter, the orchestra will rehearse again on Sunday September 5.

A concert in spring 2022 has been pencilled in, with further details to follow, but for…

It is with regret Saturday’s concert at St Vincent College has had to be cancelled. The unavailability of a number of key members of both the orchestra, and the chosen charity GAFIRS, has led to this decision being taken. It is hoped the concert can be rearranged for later in the year. Tickets bought online will be refunded in the next day or so.

The Portsmouth Philharmonic will cross the harbour for its latest charity concert in aid of the Gosport & Fareham Inland Rescue Service which will feature music by Sibelius, Gounod and Haydn. 

The concert will take place at the St Vincent College Theatre on Saturday March 14 at 7.30pm and is the first time the orchestra has played a concert in Gosport. The Mayor of Gosport Cllr Kathy Jones, will be in attendance. 

With almost £20,000 now raised for local charities since the orchestra’s foundation in 2009…