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= London Promenade Orchestra =

The London Promenade Orchestra is London's oldest amateur orchestra, being founded in 1946. When smaller orchestras collapsed during World War II, the orchestra was created, it's members those of the collapsed ones. Today, It is composed of 35 players who perform twice annually.

Orchestra members
Conductor: Bill Clarke

First violins: Carl Brock

Terry Chuppa

Bob Reid

Tom Wonnacott

Peter Ossenkopp

Tyson Moxley

Second violins: Gorgene McCartney

Christine Welch

Gail Males

Viola: Daniel Bell

Cellos: Phillip Wong

Laura Prichard

Double bass: Andrew Smith

Flutes: Carolyn van Kessel

Dan Lenart

Oboe: Joris van Deyle

Clarinets: Louis Bezau

Benedict Lockwood

Trumpets: Ernie Sulllivan

Cassondra Skinner

History
The Orchestra was formed in 1946 with five members of the Latter Day Saint's Church on Maitland Street, Arlo Hogdson, Jim Bolton, and three Neal brothers, Raymond, Ronald and Harold, with the latter addition of Roy Bicknell. It then expanded into a 25 player church orchestra.

Their success is down to their enthusiasm, rather than technique.

Their history is divided into four parts.

The Rapid Rise (1946-1949)
For a few years after World War II, the Orchestra had great success. They gave four concerts annually, with another five in the summer, in the Library Gardens. Some performance spaces even became too small for the orchestra. But, as the London Symphony Orchestra was formed, the promenade orchestra lost players and audience.

After the Fall (1950-1953)
Raymond Neal organised a smaller, less ambitious group, which went out of town to attract other musicians, and attained some success, but the survivors of the origonal orchestra still gave concerts in many churches in London.

On Tour (1953-1961)
During this period, the Orchestra went on a tour of western ontario, were they gained success once again.

Survival in the Post TV era
Audience was lost once again, but this time, not by the LSO, but television. After a hard day's work people would rather go home and watch TV than go to a concert. They couldn't even find a place to perform. They didn't want a native, do-it-yourself orchestra. Wellington Street United Church opened it's doors for rehearsals, and the IDS Church, their place of origin was always there for concerts.

= The Lark Ascending (Vaughan Williams) = George Meredith's poem The Lark Ascending inspired English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams to write a piece about it before the outbreak of the Great War.