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Stratford-upon-Avon • Birmingham • Pershore • Hereford • Cheltenham • Malvern

2018-19

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Orchestra of the Swan continues to forge new pathways with

groundbreaking immersive residencies at Hereford Courtyard

and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, alongside fresh

programming and a wealth of talented conductors and

soloists. This season of concerts promises to be our most

innovative and engaging yet.

At the heart of this bold vision of a relevant 21st century

chamber orchestra are the incredible OOTS players who are

integral to the orchestra’s continuing success. Audiences

often remark on the energy and goodwill that emanates from

the players, and we feel that this is at the core of what makes

us a unique and much-loved orchestra.

Whether we are playing in care homes, performing in

international concert halls or cabaret clubs, our commitment

is equally distributed. Communicating through live music is a

precious commodity in the brave new world of digital

streaming where summoning any music you wish for at the

click of a button is a bewildering reality. Hearing OOTS

perform live, however, will leave you with the reassuring

feeling that such intense immediacy can never be replaced.

David Le PageArtistic Director

3All information is correct at time of printing, but may be subject to change

Stratford-upon-Avon Series: ArtsHouse & Holy Trinity Church PAge

Tue 25 Sep 2018 English Fantasies For String Orchestra 4

Tue 6 Nov 2018 Tai Murray plays Mendelssohn 5

Tue 4 Dec 2018 Michael Collins plays Mozart 6

Tue 5 Feb 2019 Tasmin Little plays Vivaldi’s Four Seasons 8

Tue 2 Apr 2019 Winter Remembered 11

Tue 30 Apr 2019 Peter Donohoe plays Mozart No.25 13

Tue 28 May 2019 Mozart, Matthews and Mahler 14

Tue 25 June 2019 Shakespeare Songs 15

Night Owl @ Shakespeare Street Cocktail Bar & Nightclub PAge

Thu 11 Oct 2018 Songs of Exile 4

Thu 15 Nov 2018 Nights in the Gardens of Spain 6

Thu 13 Dec 2018 Berlin Cabaret 7

Thu 14 Feb 2019 Baroque and Roll 9

Thu 14 Mar 2019 Close Encounters of the Harp Kind 10

Thu 11 Apr 2019 Bold as Brass 12

Number 8, Pershore PAge

Fri 1 Feb 2019 Vivaldi and Piazzolla – The Eight Seasons 8

Fri 1 Mar 2019 England’s Dreaming 10

Fri 12 Apr 2019 French Music for Harp and Ensemble 12

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire PAge

Wed 7 Nov 2018 Tai Murray plays Mendelssohn 5

Wed 5 Dec 2018 Michael Collins plays Mozart 6

Wed 6 Feb 2019 Tasmin Little plays Vivaldi’s Four Seasons 8

Wed 1 May 2019 Peter Donohoe plays Mozart No.25 13

Wed 19 June 2019 A Celebration of New Talent 15

The Courtyard, Hereford PAge

Wed 31 Oct 2018 A Night at the Circus 5

Fri 2 Nov 2018 Tai Murray plays Mendelssohn 5

Fri 8 Feb 2019 Peter Donohoe plays Mozart No.27 9

Fri 17 May 2019 Nicholas Daniel plays Strauss 14

Cheltenham Town Hall PAge

Thu 8 Nov 2018 Tai Murray plays Mendelssohn 5

Malvern Theatres PAge

Wed 12 Dec 2018 A Classical English Christmas 7

The Stratford International Festival of Words and Music PAge

Sat 29 Sep 2018 Eroica Explored 17

SEASON DIARY

Find out more… www.orchestraoftheswan.org

English Fantasies For String Orchestra

Corelli Concerto Grosso in F, Op.6 No.2Tippett Fantasia Concertante on a theme of Corelli

Tallis Spem in alium (Choir only)

Tallis Spem in alium (arr. Matthew Boyden)

Frank Bridge Three Idylls for String QuartetBritten Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge

Tallis When Rising from the

Bed of Death

Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a theme

by Thomas Tallis

Orchestra of the Swan Chamber Choirconductor

Stacey Watton

Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon Tuesday 25 September 2018 7.30pm 4

Songs of Exile

violin/director

David Le Pagevoice/guitar/harmonium

Clara Sanabrasvoice/keyboard

Harvey Brough

Sioux and Gypsy blood runs through the veins of

renowned Catalan singer and multi instrumentalist

Clara Sanabras. An exceptionally versatile musician,

captivating performer and one of the most original

singer-songwriters to have emerged in recent years,

Clara joins forces with the legendary Harvey Brough

(Harvey and the Wallbangers) and members of OOTS

to present Songs of Exile, a deeply personal and

utterly compelling journey through the soul of

Catalonia.

Shakespeare Street Cocktail Bar & Nightclub Thursday 11 October 2018 8.00pm

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FREE

Must be reservedA Night at the CircusFamily Concert

Roll up, roll up and join the gravity-defying

Orchestra of the Swan for a

spectacular concert that will take

you on a breathtaking musical

journey inspired by the Big Top and

the scariest night of the year!

Your host is the mysterious

ringmaster Mr Matthew Sharp - he sings, he tells

stories, he plays the cello, he leaps through hogsheads

of real fire! Orchestra of the Swan, conducted by the

incredible baton-juggling Tom Hammond, will perform

amazing circus and Halloween-inspired tunes by Rimsky

Korsakov, John Williams, Johann Strauss, Saint-Säens,

Mussgorsgky and the Beatles. Come dressed for the

Circus (the orchestra will be).

conductor Tom Hammondpresenter Matthew Sharp

The Courtyard, Hereford Wednesday 31 October 2018 7.00pm

Tai Murray plays Mendelssohn

Mozart Overture to The Marriage of Figaro

Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor

Mendelssohn String Sinfonia No.6 in Eb

Mozart Symphony No.25

conductor

Julian Lloyd Webberviolin

Tai Murray

The Courtyard, Hereford Friday 2 November 2018 7.30pm

Stratford ArtsHouse Tuesday 6 November 2018 7.30pm

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Wednesday 7 November 2018 2.30pm

Cheltenham Town Hall Thursday 8 November 2018 7.30pm

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Michael Collins plays Mozart

Stravinsky Concerto in D

Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A major

Stravinsky Concerto in Eb 'Dumbarton Oaks'

Mozart Symphony No.40

clarinet/director

Michael Collins

Stratford ArtsHouse Tuesday 4 December 2018 7.30pm

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Wednesday 5 December 2018 2.30pm

Nights in theGardens of Spain

violin/director

David Le Pageguitar

Mark Ashford

Award-winning guitarist Mark Ashford performs

Rodrigo’s famous concerto in a stunning new

chamber arrangement by David Le Page. You will be

entranced by the fragrance of magnolias, the singing

of birds, the gushing of fountains, and feel the heat

of midsummer Seville! The evening also features

works by Sarasate and Albeniz.

Shakespeare Street Cocktail Bar & Nightclub Thursday 15 November 2018 8.00pm

violin/director

David Le Pagecello/voice

Matthew Sharp

OOTS regulars are joined by the dynamic and

irrepressible Matthew Sharp to present a portrait of

the city that has inspired so much important music -

from the seedy cellar bar blues of Kurt Weill’s Mack

the Knife to the firecracker energy of CPE Bach via

Kraftwerk, Shostakovich and Gorecki. Join us for a

celebration of Europe’s most influential city.

Shakespeare Street Cocktail Bar & Nightclub Thursday 13 December 2018 8.00pm

Berlin Cabaret

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A ClassicalEnglish Christmas

Handel Overture and Pastoral Symphony from “Messiah”

Corelli Christmas Concerto “fatto per la Notte di Natale”

Britten A Ceremony of Carols

Elgar Sospiri Patrick Hadley I sing of a maiden

John Rutter Nativity CarolJohn Rutter Star Carol

Gloucester Cathedral Choristersconductor

Adrian Partington

Malvern Theatres Wednesday 12 December 2018 7.30pm

Tickets: £28 / £25.76 / £23.52 / £21.28 including heritage £1 donation and booking fee. www.malvern-tickets.co.uk

Also to be performed Once in Royal David’s City

Angelus ad virginem

The cherry tree carol

O come all ye faithful

Il est né le divin enfantHark! The Herald Angels Sing

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Tasmin Little plays Vivaldi’sThe Four Seasons

Vivaldi Concerto for Two Violins in A minor

Arvo Pärt FratresBach Concerto for Two ViolinsVivaldi The Four Seasons

violin/director

Tasmin Littleviolin

David Le Page

Stratford ArtsHouse Tuesday 5 February 2019 7.30pm

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Wednesday 6 February 2019 2.30pm

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Vivaldi and PiazzollaThe Eight Seasons

Vivaldi The Four SeasonsPiazzolla The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires

violin/director

David Le Page

Number 8, Pershore Friday 1 February 2019 7.30pm

violin/director

David Le Pageharpsichord

David Gordon

A frequent traveller between the worlds of jazz and

baroque, harpsichordist, jazz pianist and composer

David Gordon joins OOTS in a scintillating, genre

busting journey taking in Biber, Corelli, Bach and

his own incredible Baroque influenced compositions.

The harpsichord as you’ve never heard it before. Like

Bill Evans and Jimi Hendrix meeting Francois

Couperin and Henry Purcell in a dark alley...

Shakespeare Street Cocktail Bar & Nightclub Thursday 14 February 2019 8.00pm

Baroque & Roll

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Peter Donohoe plays Mozart No.27

Elgar Serenade for StringsMozart Piano Concerto No.27Elgar Introduction and AllegroMozart Symphony No.31 ‘Paris’

piano/director

Peter Donohoe

The Courtyard, Hereford Friday 8 February 2019 7.30pm

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violin/director

David Le Pageharp

Eleanor Turner

If you think you know the harp and what harpists

like... then think again! OOTS teams up with Eleanor

Turner (head of harp at the Royal Birmingham

Conservatoire) for a programme featuring some of

the finest repertoire written for the instrument. The

centrepiece of the evening is Ravel’s jaw-dropping

septet with its beguiling combination of beauty and

dazzling virtuosity. Works by Debussy and Saint-

Säens also feature as well as compositions by

Eleanor herself. Visceral, entertaining and

unexpected.

Shakespeare Street Cocktail Bar & Nightclub Thursday 14 March 2019 8.00pm

Close Encountersof the Harp Kind

England’s DreamingWarlock Capriol SuiteMax Richter On the Nature of DaylightVaughan Williams The Lark Ascending

Arnold Concerto for Two Violins and String Orchestra

Elgar SospiriElgar Introduction and Allegro

conductor

Richard Laingviolin

David Le Page

Number 8, Pershore Friday 1 March 2019 7.30pm

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Winter Remembered

David Matthews Winter Remembered

Mahler Symphony No.10

(mvt 1 arr. for strings)

Mozart Adagio and Fugue in C minor, K.546

Britten Variations on a Theme

of Frank Bridge

conductor

Kenneth Woodsviola

Carmen Flores

Stratford ArtsHouse Tuesday 2 April 2019 7.30pm

Bold as Brass

OOTS Brass Quintet

Join BOOTS for an entertaining programme

specially devised and arranged by principal trumpet

Hugh Davies. New arrangements of well known

tunes and original compositions. Prepare to be

blown away.

Shakespeare Street Cocktail Bar & Nightclub Thursday 11 April 2019 8.00pm

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French Music for Harp and Ensemble

Debussy Danse sacrée et

danse profane

Saint-Saëns Fantaisie for Violin

and Harp

Ravel Le Tombeau de

Couperin (arr. Le Page)

Saint-Saëns The Swan

Satie Gymnopédies No.1

Ravel Introduction and Allegro

violin/director

David Le Pageharp

Eleanor Turner

Number 8, Pershore Friday 12 April 2019 7.30pm

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Peter Donohoe plays Mozart No.25

Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme

by Thomas Tallis

Mozart Piano Concerto No.25

Vaughan Williams Symphony No.5

conductor

Jason Laipiano

Peter Donohoe

Stratford ArtsHouse Tuesday 30 April 2019 7.30pm

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Wednesday 1 May 2019 2.30pm

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Mozart, Matthews and Mahler

Mozart Divertimento in B flat, K137

David Matthews 'Le Lac' for soprano and orchestra

(world premiere)

Schubert ’Death and the Maiden‘ Variations and Lied for

Soprano and Chamber Orchestra

(arr. Kenneth Woods)

Mahler Symphony No.4

(arr. Klaus Simon)

conductor

Kenneth Woodssoprano

April Fredrick

Stratford ArtsHouse

Tuesday 28 May 2019 7.30pm

Nicholas Daniel plays Strauss

Ravel Pavane pour une infante défunte

Strauss Oboe Concerto, TrV 292Strauss Metamorphosen

Ravel Le Tombeau de Couperin

conductor

Michael Sealoboe

Nicholas Daniel

The Courtyard, Hereford Friday 17 May 2019 7.30pm

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A Celebration of New Talent

Beethoven Piano Concerto No.1

Thea Musgrave Green

A concerto by Conservatoire Prize Winner

conductor

Andrew Griffithspiano

Luke Jones Bromsgrove

International

Winner 2018

Shakespeare Songs

Programme to include

Lucia Caruso andPedro H. Da Silva Shakespeare Song Cycle

Orchestra of the Swan Chamber Choirconductor

Bruce O'NeilPortuguese guitar

Pedro H. Da Silva

Holy Trinity Church

Tuesday 25 June 2019 7.30pm

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

Wednesday 19 June 2019 2.30pm

Friends’ EventsRoyal Birmingham Conservatoire Wed 7 Nov 2018, 4.30pm

Post Concert Coffee and Cake with Julian Lloyd Webber & Tai MurrayExclusive to Friends: £10

Town Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon Fri 11 Jan 2019, 7.15pmFriends’ Fundraising Soiree with OOTS’ PrincipalsFriends: £17 Non-Friends: £22

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Wed 6 Feb 2019, 4.30pm

Post Concert Coffee and Cake with Tasmin LittleExclusive to Friends: £10

El Greco, Stratford-upon-Avon Tue 30 April 2019, 12 noonLunch and Conversation with Jason Lai and Peter DonohoeExclusive to Friends: £26

El Greco, Stratford-upon-Avon Tues 28 May 2019, 12 noon

Lunch and Conversation with Kenneth Woods and David MatthewsExclusive to Friends: £26

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Become a Friend

Friends and Patrons help us

present ambitious concerts,

champion new music and deliver

an extensive programme of

activities for all ages.

Become a Friend or Patron from

£35 a year and enjoy exclusive

benefits that bring you closer to

the orchestra, including

invitations to the select Friends’

events and priority booking.

To join Friends of Orchestra of the Swan or to buy tickets for the eventsabove call 01789 267567 or visit www.orchestraoftheswan.org/shop

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The Tessa Jowell Memorial Concert The Eroica Explored

Long before Beethoven’s death in 1827, the Eroica was considered to be the

most important Symphony ever written. For many, it remains so – but few can

tell you why. In association with two of the Festival’s Partners, King Edward VI

School and Orchestra of the Swan, Matthew Boyden is devoting the first half

of this evening’s concert to a fully illustrated explanation of what makes the

Eroica a masterpiece. After the interval, he will conduct a complete

performance of the Symphony – with all the repeats.

Beethoven Symphony No.3 in Eb,

Op.55, “Eroica”

conductor

Matthew Boyden

King edward VI School Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon Saturday 29 September 2018 7.30pm

Pre-Concert talk at 7pm

Tickets: £25 / £20 / £18

www.stratfordwordsandmusic.org

The Stratford International Festival of

Words and Music is a celebration of the

power of language to inspire thought and

feeling, insight and reflection through an

innovative programme of themed

concerts and talks, designed to engage

audiences of all ages and cultures.

For eleven days in September 2018,

Stratford on Avon will assemble an

international gathering of musicians,

writers, artists and academics to join in a

matchless diary of concerts, talks,

debates and master-classes – all formed

of the conviction that while words and

music can enable us to better

understand the past, they are definitive

of our interaction with the present.

Matthew BoydenArtistic Director, Stratford InternationalFestival of Words and Music

G 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 G

F 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 F

F RV 15 16 17 18 19 F E 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 E F 50 51 52 53 54 RV F

E RV 15 16 17 18 19 E D 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 D E 50 51 52 56 54 RV E

D RV 15 16 17 18 D C 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 C D 51 52 53 54 RV D

C RV 14 15 16 C B 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 B C 53 54 55 RV C

B RV 14 15 16 B A 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 A B 53 54 55 RV B

A 12 13 14 15 A A 54 55 56 57 A

FF 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 FF

N EE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 EE N

1 M L K J DD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 DD J K L M 11

2 1 1 1 1 H CC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 CC H 9 9 9 9 12

3 2 2 2 2 1 BB 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 BB 7 10 10 10 10 13

4 3 3 3 3 2 AA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 AA 8 11 11 11 11 14

5 4 4 4 4 3 9 12 12 12 12 15

6 5 5 5 5 4 10 13 13 13 13 16

7 6 6 6 6 5 11 14 14 14 14 17

8 7 7 7 7 6 12 15 15 15 15 18

16 16 16 16 199 8 8 8 8

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Stratford ArtsHouse14 Rother Street

Stratford-upon-Avon

CV37 6LU

Tickets: £9.50 - £29.50

Holy Trinity ChurchOld Town

Stratford-upon-Avon

CV37 6BG

Tickets: £12 - £25 (unreserved)

All Stratford-upon-Avon seriestickets are on sale ONly at theRSC Box Office, Waterside,Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6BBTel: 01789 403 493oots@rsc.org20% OFF 3+ concerts30% OFF 6+ concertsOffers available only in person or by phone

Shakespeare Street Cocktail Bar & Nightclub1 Shakespeare Street

Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6RN

www.shakespeare-street-cocktailbar.co.uk

Concerts at 8pm

Tickets: £5

To book: www.billetto.co.ukbookings@shakespeare-street-cocktailbar.co.uk01789 264 787

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Venues, Tickets and Box Office InformationStratford-upon-Avon Series All concerts at 7.30pm, Stratford ArtsHouse pre-concert talks at 6.30pm

Orchestra

£29.50

£26.50

£23.50

£21.50

£19.50

£9.50

W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32V 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32U 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

T 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8R 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14Q 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20P 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21N 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20M 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21L 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25J 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26H 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27G 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26F 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

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Birmingham City University

200 Jennens Road

Birmingham B4 7XR

Tickets: £5 - £25 + booking fee £1.50

Box Office 0121 331 5909www.bcu.ac.uk/concertsoots@bcu.ac.uk20% OFF 3+ concerts30% OFF 5 concerts Offers available only in person or by phone

Number 88 High Street

Pershore

WR10 1BG

Box Office 01386 555488 www.number8.org enquiries@number8.org

All concerts at 7.30pm

Pre-concert talks at 6.45pm

Tickets: £15.5020% OFF 3 concerts

The CourtyardEdgar Street

Hereford

HR4 9JR

Box Office 01432 340555www.courtyard.org.ukboxoffice@courtyard.org.uk

All concerts at 7.30pm

Pre-concert talks at 6.30pm

Tickets: £21 + booking fee £1.50Family concert: free (must bereserved through the Box Office)20% OFF 3 concerts

Find out more… www.orchestraoftheswan.orgRBC SeriesAll concerts at 2.30pm, pre-concert talks at 1.30pm

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

Orchestra

£25 £20 £18 £5 - BCU Staff and Students

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www.orchestraoftheswan.orgCharity number 1068570 • Orchestra of the Swan is a member of the ABO

Design: CWGD - www.chriswheeler.co.uk