"Didcot's new symphony orchestra"

Principal sponsor:

PLAYER INFORMATION

VOLUNTARY DONATIONS

DCO founders Geoff and Jackie Bushell have already made a payment to Anna Kuzina-Rozhdestvenska to cover the costs of typsesetting her composition Breath of Life for the October 2022 concert, but this has not covered her composing time. We will forward to Anna any personal donation that players feel able to make via our PayPal button below. Thank you very much for considering helping Anna in this way.

 DONATE TO DEC UKRAINE HUMANITARIAN APPEAL

CONCERT 18 12-10-2025 REHEARSAL PLAN

 The original date of this concert was ## 2024.
Date Time Content Venue
Friday 3-10-251915-2145Full orchestraGWP District Centre
Sunday 5-10-251430-1700Woodwind, horns and brass sectionalGWP Northern Centre
1430-1700String sectionalGWP District Centre
Friday 10-10-251915-2145Full orchestraGWP District Centre
Sunday 12-10-251115-1345Final rehearsalCornerstone
1345-1600Break
1600-1800ConcertCornerstone

CONCERT 18 18-5-25 REPERTOIRE

Instrumentation key: flute+picc, oboe+cor, clarinet+bass, bassoon+contra - horn, trumpet+cornet, trombone, tuba - Timpani Percussion - Harp. 2+1 means e.g. 2 oboes plus cor anglais. 3d1 means e.g. 3 flutes of which one doubles piccolo, etc.


Composer Piece (concert order) Sheet music Media
GoldmarkThe Queen of Sheba: Overture (8')
3,2+1,2+1,2-4331-T-H
score + partslisten
KarlowiczEternal Songs (28')
2+1,2+1,2+1,2+1-4331-T2P(cym+tri)
scorefollow score

ElgarIn the South (21')
2+1,2+1,2+1,2+1-4331-T2P-H
score + partsfollow score
RespighiPines of Rome (20')
2+1,2+1,2+1,2+1-4331-T3P(bd,sd,cym,tri,glock)-H pno cel
score + partsfollow score

REHEARSAL VENUES

We've booked these rehearsal venues up to and including October 2024

 Wind sectional

Northern Community Centre
GWP* Northern Neighbourhood Community Centre
Dan Read Parade
Sir Frank Williams Avenue
Great Western Park
Didcot OX11 6BD

///amused.interval.clinic

 Full rehearsals and strings sectional

District Community Centre
GWP* District Neighbourhood Community Centre
1 Gentian Mews
Greenwood Way
Great Western Park
Harwell OX11 6GR

///pipes.remotest.bands

* GWP stands for Great Western Park, which is a new estate between Didcot and Harwell.
 
ROAD: Both community centres are best reached by leaving the A34 at Milton interchange. Drive 1.6 miles along the A4130 eastbound towards Didcot and turn right at traffic lights into Sir Frank Williams Avenue – the entrance to Great Western Park.

WIND SECTIONAL: About 0.5 miles along Sir Frank Williams Avenue, the GWP Northern Community Centre is on the right side of the road. There are 11 parking spaces near the entrance to the building, but for ample street parking, go one block further along Sir Frank Williams Avenue and turn right into Greenfinch Road.

FULL REHEARSALS: Passing the GWP Northern Community Centre, continue straight another 0.6 miles south into Greenwood Way. In a shopping area opposite ASDA and Costa, you will see the GWP District Community Centre on your left. Immediately after it, turn left into Gentian Mews (with the Station Garden pub/restaurant on the corner), and just past the building, turn left into a large car park (46 cars). There is also plenty of overspill parking in the adjoining children's day nursery, and in the pub car park opposite. The side gate from the car park is usually open.

STRING SECTIONALS: The Play Room is adjacent to the car park, with its own entrance. If locked, enter the building at the front. At the entrance, the Pear Room (cellos and basses) is on the right, the Cherry Room (violas) further in front on the right, and the Play Room (violins and later full strings) at the far end, with a keyfob lock which you may have to ask staff to unlock.

RAIL: 32 minutes (1.6 miles) walk from Didcot Parkway station. Cross at the lights outside the station and turn right along Station Road. Take first left up Haydon Road to its end. Turn right into Broadway, past the Civic Hall and straight over the roundabout into Wantage Road. Continue past Didcot Baptist Centre (previous rehearsal venue) for approx 0.8 miles. At the traffic lights, turn right into Greenwood Way, past UTC (previous rehearsal venue). The District Community Centre is opposite ASDA and Costa.

BUS: Routes changed in 2023. Please check if there is still a regular service between Didcot Station to outside ASDA opposite the GWP District Community Centre.


CONCERT VENUE

Cornerstone
Cornerstone, Didcot
Cornerstone Arts Centre
25 Station Road
Didcot OX11 7NE
DIRECTIONS + MAPS
///riches.astounded.backed

See maps and directions.

 INFORMATION FOR PLAYERS   including concert dress, driving directions, parking (IMPORTANT UPDATE September 2025), access for heavy instruments, changing / green rooms, concert logistics and nearby restaurants can be viewed or downloaded here.

CONCERT 19 1-3-2026 REHEARSAL PLAN

 The original date of this concert was ## 2024.
DATE CHANGE: Cornerstone is planning to close for improvement works in January 2026. To offset the risk of the works over-running and affecting our planned concert on 8 February, and taking account of the availability of key participants, we have moved the concert to Sunday 1 March and booked new rehearsal dates.

Please note the 3-week gap between the two rehearsal weekends, instead of the usual consecutive weekends – this is to avoid half term.

Date Time Content Venue
Friday 6-2-261915-2145Full orchestraGWP District Centre
Sunday 8-2-261430-1700Woodwind, horns and brass sectionalGWP Northern Centre
1430-1700String sectionalGWP District Centre
Friday 27-2-261915-2145Full orchestraGWP District Centre
Sunday 1-3-261115-1345Final rehearsalCornerstone
1345-1600Break
1600-1800ConcertCornerstone

CONCERT 19 1-3-26 REPERTOIRE

Instrumentation key: flute+picc, oboe+cor, clarinet+bass, bassoon+contra - horn, trumpet+cornet, trombone, tuba - Timpani Percussion - Harp. 2+1 means e.g. 2 oboes plus cor anglais. 3d1 means e.g. 3 flutes of which one doubles piccolo, etc.

COMING SOON


Composer Piece (concert order) Sheet music Media
LyadovPolonaise in C (7')
2+1,2,2,2-4231-TP
score + partsfollow score
DvorakAmerican Suite, op 98b (21')
2+1,2,2,2+1-4231-TP
score + partsfollow score
SullivanDi Ballo Overture (10')
2d1,2,2,2-4231-TP
score + partslisten
DvorakCello Concerto (Joshua Lynch) (45')
2d1,2,2,2-3231-TP(tri)
score + partsfollow score

Composer Piece (concert order) Sheet music Media
RossiniWilliam Tell: Overture (10')
1+1,2d1,2,2-4230-TP
score + partsfollow score
DohnanyiSymphonic Minutes (13')
2d1,2d1,2d1,2-4230-TPceleste,H
no (©)follow score
Vaughan WilliamsTuba Concerto (14')
2d1,1,2,1-2220-TP
score only (©)watch

BrahmsSymphony 3 in F (36')
2,2,2,2+1-4230-T
score + partsfollow score
SodermanSwedish Wedding March (encore, 4')
1122-2000
score + partslisten

FUTURE DATES

Although participation in each concert is by invitation, "regular" players might like to be aware of future concert and rehearsal dates. All dates are clear of half term, and are on consecutive weekends.

Concert 20 Sunday 17 May 2026

Friday 8-5-261915-2145Full orchestraGWP District Centre
Sunday 10-5-261430-1700Woodwind, horns and brass sectionalGWP Northern Centre
1430-1700String sectionalGWP District Centre
Friday 15-5-261915-2145Full orchestraGWP District Centre
Sunday 17-5-261115-1345Final rehearsalCornerstone
1345-1600Break
1600-1800ConcertCornerstone

Concert 21 Sunday 11 October 2026

Friday 2-10-261915-2145Full orchestraGWP District Centre
Sunday 4-10-261430-1700Woodwind, horns and brass sectionalGWP Northern Centre
1430-1700String sectionalGWP District Centre
Friday 9-10-261915-2145Full orchestraGWP District Centre
Sunday 11-10-261115-1345Final rehearsalCornerstone
1345-1600Break
1600-1800ConcertCornerstone

CONTACT

Conductor & Musical Director
Geoff Bushell
Didcot, Oxfordshire

SEND MESSAGE
Geoff Bushell, Conductor and Musical Director, Didcot Concert Orchestra
 
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