Welcome to the Southend Wind Orchestra
Patron - Philip Sparke
The Southend Wind Orchestra has made a significant contribution to the local music scene, and has rapidly built a reputation for excellence. Among its membership are some very talented young musicians and experienced players.
The Orchestra regularly gives concerts at venues around Essex and has performed at the bandstands in Castle Park, Colchester and St James Park, London. They participate in joint concerts and have worked with prestigious groups such as Leigh Orpheus Male Voice Choir, Trillogy, Lee Mead from Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, and even performed in a London concert in the presence of HRH The Princess Royal.
The repertoire includes the whole range of symphonic wind band music, both traditional and contemporary; Bach, Bartok, Holst, Meyerbeer, Rimsky-Korsakov and Verdi; 20th century pieces written by Albert, Bacalov, Gershwin, Miller and Schonberg; music from shows such as “Miss Saigon”, "Les Miserables" and "My Fair Lady" and contemporary music from writers like John Dankworth, Martin Ellerby, Adam Gorb, Paul Hart, Charles Hine, Nigel Hess, Philip Sparke and Guy Wolfenden.
“The Festival of Remembrance at Westcliff Boys’ High School featured the Orpheus Singers, Southend Band and Southend Wind Orchestra, all conducted by David Clark. What a wonderful, moving, uplifting event. What a tribute to those gone before or still yet surviviing those distant war years. All so inspirational, so appreciated.”
Jim Worsdale, Echo News.