The Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra are set to celebrate half a century as one of the county’s leading music groups.

The group, made up of amateur musicians from around Gloucestershire, was founded in 1969 by local dentist Douglas Smith.

Andrew Chapman, a cellist with the Orchestra said: “This gala evening celebrates the Cheltenham Symphony’s 50th Anniversary and features the Mozart piano concerto, No.19 in F major K459, which was played by the orchestra’s founder Douglas Smith at the orchestra’s very first concert in 1969.

“On this occasion it is performed by Daniel Lebhardt, the young Hungarian pianist who has performed in concert halls both in the UK and around the world. In 2016 he won the Most Promising Pianist prize at the Sydney International Competition.”

The concert will be at Cheltenham Town Hall on Saturday 29th June and will be led by long-time conductor David Curtis.

“The concert opens with the Prelude to Act 1 of Wagner’s opera ’Lohengrin’ and culminates with the 2nd Symphony of Rachmaninov,” continued Andrew.

“This majestic and intensely emotional work is rightly regarded as one of the greatest symphonies of the 20th century.

“Under conductor David Curtis It has been in the repertoire of the CSO for the past 15 years and this performance is sure to display what a first-rate orchestra the CSO has developed into over the last 50 years.”

You can read more about the Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra Here