User:PCMorphy72/Cambridge Philharmonic Society

The Cambridge Philharmonic Society is an amateur organisation with orchestra and chorus performing classical music, based in Cambridge, England. Before 29 September 1924 it was named Cambridge Choral Society and before 1903 Dr Mann's Festival Chorus: in fact, although Dr. Arthur Henry Mann assembled both chorus and orchestra since the first performance in 20 June 1887 for a festival for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria, before the 1930s the orchestra was not strictly integrated with the chorus, and a real status was given only in 1975, to choose and appoint a regular professional conductor for the rehearsals too.

Although historically many members of the society have been coming from the University of Cambridge, the Cambridge Philharmonic Society has nothing to do with the Cambridge University Musical Society or the University of Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra, or the Cambridge University Music Club, as well as with the numerous other situations in the long musical history of Cambridge: the level of notoriety of the society is international (recently it has performed at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, at the Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels and at the Rudolfinum, Prague) and the repertoire is mainly romantic. Instead the society has something to share with the Cambridgeshire Choral Society, having in common the three usual performing venues and the renowned conductor Sir David Willcocks in their history, and especially with the world-renowned King's College Choir, having in common not only four former conductors (including Arthur Henry Mann and David Willcocks) but also their typical performance venue which is the magnificent King's College Chapel.

Conductors

 * Arthur Henry Mann
 * Eric Congsby
 * Raymond Leppard
 * Christopher Hogwood
 * Harold Darke
 * Boris Ord
 * David Willcocks
 * Martin West
 * Timothy Redmond