Haffner Orchestra
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The Haffner Orchestra is Lancaster's regular orchestra for professionals or well-qualified amateur musicians. The orchestra currently has around 50 members and is a regular contributor to the musical life of the city, giving three concerts each year at Lancaster's Ashton Hall at the Town Hall in Dalton Square. They normally take place in November, February and June and pre-concert talks are usually given. Workshops and other activities are occasionally organised, and the orchestra sometimes performs concerts elsewhere. The orchestra has built a reputation for playing a wide repertoire to a high standard.
The current Musical Director, Natalia Luis-Bassa, has been with the orchestra since 2004. Originally from Venezuela, Natalia's passion for music is stimulating and exciting for both players and audience. Artists and visiting conductors who have performed with the Haffner Orchestra over the years include: Sir Charles Groves, Arthur Butterworth, Wyn Davies, Janet Hilton, Anna Markland, Andrew West, Linda Kitchen, Craig Ogden, Yonty Solomon and Leland Chen, among many others.
The orchestra organises an annual fundraising Open Garden event in May. There are many social activities for members, which include walks and social weekends.
[edit] History
In the early 1970s, there was no regular local orchestra in Lancaster. Individual instrumental players were invited to accompany choral concerts, but had to look to Kendal for involvement in orchestral music. It was Kenneth Oates who saw the potential for drawing these players together to form an orchestra. With the support of other local musicians, a chamber orchestra emerged, conducted by Gerard Doyle and led by Wendy Cann, and taking the name "Haffner" from one of Mozart's patrons in Salzburg.
The Haffner Orchestra gave its first concert in March 1976. Since then the orchestra has earned the respect and attracted the support of many well-known professional musicians, including Sir Charles Groves, who was the orchestra's first President and conducted the Haffner Orchestra at its 10th anniversary concert. After his death, the Presidency was taken up by Raphael Wallfisch, a world-renowned cellist who has also performed as soloist with the orchestra, notably at its 25th anniversary concert. The position of Musical Director has been held by Gerard Doyle, Tim Carter, Denis McCaldin, Roger Cann, and, since 2004, Natalia Luis-Bassa.
Until 2002 the orchestra gave its concerts in the Princess Margaretha Hall at St Martin's College in Lancaster. Audiences grew so large that the orchestra needed a bigger venue, and concerts now take place in the Ashton Hall, which is part of the Victorian town hall in Dalton Square in the centre of Lancaster.
The 2006-2007 season was the Haffner's 30th anniversary, and special events were held to celebrate this landmark. A special work, Coruscations, was commissioned from Arthur Butterworth, a great friend of the orchestra, and in June 2007 Raphael and Elizabeth Wallfisch were the soloists for Brahms' Double Concerto.
