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More Things To Do in York & beyond when Beethoven project goes public for first time. Hutch’s List No. 38, from The Press, York

York Beethoven Project: Reassembling today to workshop and play Symphony No. 3, Eroica

A BIG orchestra, a psychedelic inflatable crab, veteran singers, a blues troubadour and a  Spanish guitarist rub shoulders in Charles Hutchinson’s cultural diary.

Groundbreaking concert of the week: York Beethoven Project, An Evening of Revolutionary Music, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, today, 7.30pm

TODAY’S York Beethoven Project Come and Play workshop day climaxes with tonight’s performance of Beethoven’s No. 3 in Eb Major Op 55: Eroica in the project’s first pubic concert. The 40-piece orchestra will be the biggest ever to play the JoRo.

In addition, The White Rose Singers will be performing revolutionary musical theatre songs from Les Miserables, West Side Story, Carousel, James Robert Brown and more. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Artist Jason Wilsher-Mills at work in Peashom Park for his Jason Beside The Sea exhibition at Woodend Gallery, Scarborough. Picture: Tony Bartholomew

Exhibition launch of the week: Jason Wilsher-Mills: Jason Beside The Sea, Woodend Gallery, The Crescent, Scarborough, today until January 4 2025, Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm; Saturdays, 10am to 4pm.

LOOK out for a giant inflatable sculpture of a psychedelic crab and colourful digital wallpaper featuring a pair of lovers inspired by Scarborough’s Peasholm Park in Jason Wilsher-Mills’s larger-than-life exhibition, a colourful explosion of artwork characters that reveals the stories of his memories of childhood seaside holidays, 1970s’ working-class experience and disability.

Scarborough Triptych, a three-panel wallpaper of argonaut characters, includes the Manchester Argonaut, inspired by Joy Division singer Ian Curtis. Wilsher-Mills, a Yorkshire-based disabled artist, will give a gallery talk on October 12. Gallery entry is free.

How long ago? Paul Carrack celebrates the 50th anniversary of his first hit at York Barbican. Picture: Nico Wills Cornbury

Ace memoir of the week: Paul Carrack, How Long: 50th Anniversary Tour 2024, York Barbican, tonight, 7.30pm

IN 1974, Sheffield musician Paul Carrack was in “fun London band” Ace when he wrote How Long, a song that would reach number three in the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Top 20 in the UK Singles Chart. Phil Collins named it among his top ten favourites in a 1981 issue of Smash Hits.

“‘How Long is probably the first song I wrote,” recalls Carrack, now 73. I wrote the song about a real situation, a situation that many people could relate to. Little did I know that it would become a classic and touch the hearts of so many.”  His 50th anniversary tour takes a journey through his career, from his days with Ace, Squeeze and Mike + The Mechanics to his solo years. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

David Essex: Career-spanning concert at York Barbican

Rocking on: David Essex, York Barbican, September 17, doors 7pm

PLAISTOW singer, composer and actor David Essex, 77, plays York on his 20-date British tour, his first since 2022. His set list will span his entire repertoire, drawing on his 23 Top 30 hits and a career that has taken in playing Jesus in Godspell, Che in Evita, That’ll Be The Day, Silver Dream Machine and his own musicals Mutiny! And All The Fun Of The Fair.

The likes of Rock On, Lamplight, Hold Me Close, Gonna Make You A Star, A Winter’s Tale and Oh, What A Circus will surely feature. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Charlie Parr: Showcasing blues and folk songs of community and communing with nature at Pocklington Arts Centre

Troubadour of the week: Charlie Parr, Pocklington Arts Centre, September 19, 8pm

RAISED in Austin, Texas, and now living in the Lake Superior port town of Duluth, folk troubadour and bluesman poet Charlie Parr has recorded 19 albums since 2002, this year releasing Little Sun, full of stories celebrating music, community, and communing with nature.

Taking to the road between shows, this American guitarist, songwriter, and interpreter of traditional music writes and rewrites songs as he plays, drawing on the sights and sounds around him, his lyrical craftsmanship echoing the songs of his working-class upbringing, notably Folkways legends Lead Belly and Woody Guthrie. Box office: 01759 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.

Iago Banet: Fingerstyle acoustic guitarist plays solo in Helmsley. Picture: Sue Rainbow

Guitarist of the week: Iago Banet, Helmsley Arts Centre, September 20, 8pm

IAGO Banet, “the Galician King of Acoustic Guitar” from northern Spain, visits Helmsley on the back of releasing his third album, the self-explanatory Tres, in 2023.

Featured on BCC Radio 2’s The Blues Show With Cerys Matthews, this solo fingerstyle acoustic guitarist has played such festivals as Brecon Jazz, Hellys International Guitar Festival and Aberjazz, displaying skill, complexity and versatility in his fusion of gypsy jazz, blues, Americana, country, Dixieland, swing, pop and folk. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

Ryans Adams: Heading back to York Barbican

Return of the week: Ryan Adams, Solo 2024, York Barbican, September 20, doors 7pm

NORTH Carolina singer-songwriter Ryan Adams returns to York Barbican next week after playing a very long, career-spanning set there with no stage lighting – only his own side lamps – in April last year. This time he will be marking the 20th anniversary of 2004’s Love Is Hell and tenth anniversary of 2014’s self-titled album, complemented by Adams classics and favourites. Adams, who visited the Grand Opera House in 2007 and 2011, will be performing on acoustic guitar and piano. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Setting up camp: Julian Clary extends his western-themed tour into 2025. Harrogate and York await

Show announcement of the week: Julian Clary, A Fistful Of Clary, Harrogate Theatre, May 2 2025, 7.30pm; Grand Opera House, York, May 25 2025, 7.30pm

JULIAN Clary is extending his A Fistful Of Clary stand-up tour to next spring. “Oh no, do I have to do this?” he asks. “Rylan and I were going to go back-packing in Wales. Sigh.”

Yee-haw, The Man With No Shame is adding 28 dates, Harrogate and York among them. “Yes, it has a Western theme,” Clary confirms, setting up camp for his comedy. “It was only a matter of time before I eased myself into some chaps.” Box office: Harrogate, 01423 502116 or harrogatetheatre.co.uk; York, atgtickets.com/york.

In Focus: Rehearsed reading of Alan Ayckbourn’s Father Of Invention, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, Sunday, 3pm

The Stephen Joseph Theatre artwork for Alan Ayckbourn’s Father Of Invention

THE first ever public performance of the AI-futuristic Father Of Invention, written by Alan Ayckbourn in lockdown, will be given in a fundraising rehearsed reading at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough on Sunday (15/9/2024) at 3pm.

Ayckbourn directs a cast of Bill Champion, Paul Kemp and Frances Marshall from his 90th play, Show & Tell, joined by Ayckbourn alumni Liza Goddard, Elizabeth Boag, Laurence Pears and Naomi Petersen. This will be the first time the Scarborough writer-director, 85, has heard the work read aloud.

“Take a look at their rollcall of Ayckbourn-written-and-directed shows – we reckon they’ve racked up an impressive 39 between them,” says SJT press officer Jeannie Swales. “We haven’t counted last year’s reading of Truth Will Out, only shows that had a full production either here at the SJT or at The Old Laundry Theatre, Bowness-on-Windermere, including Show & Tell. Mind you, that’s still not quite half of the Ayckbourn canon of 90!”

One of a handful of dramas penned by Ayckbourn in the creative cocoon of his Scarborough home during the pandemic, Father Of Invention takes its title from its central character of technology magnate Lord Onsett, who has passed away.

“Lord Onsett was an entrepreneur who made billions from the rapid acceleration of Artificial Intelligence,” says Sir Alan. “His company introduced the now ubiquitous Artificial Sentient Lifeforms, which carry out vast swathes of jobs for humanity from cleaning to security.

“His family are gathered to discuss how his enormous estate will be divided but as ever with Lord Onsett, there are a few surprises in store…”

Leading the gaggle of familiar faces will be “our old friend” Liza Goddard, who has appeared in Ayckbourn premieres of If I Were You, Snake In The Grass, Life & Beth, Communicating Doors, Life Of Riley and The Divide.

The omnipresent Bill Champion has roles in Comic Potential, Haunting Julia, GamePlan, FlatSpin, RolePlay, A Chorus Of Disapproval, Intimate Exchanges, Woman In Mind, Absurd Person Singular, Surprises, Arrivals & Departures, Farcicals, Henceforward…, No Knowing, By Jeeves, Season’s Greetings, The Girl Next Door, Welcome To The Family and now Show & Tell to his name.

Paul Kemp has made his mark in This Is Where We Came In, Drowning on Dry Land, Private Fears In Public Places, The Champion Of Paribanou, Woman In Mind, My Wonderful Day and The Divide, this summer adding Show & Tell to that list.

York actress Frances Marshall has appeared in premieres of A Brief History Of Women, Joking Apart, Season’s Greetings, Family Album and Truth Will Out; Elizabeth Boag in Arrivals & Departures, Farcicals, Roundelay, Confusions, Hero’s Welcome, The Divide, Family Album and  Truth Will Out; Naomi Petersen in By Jeeves, Joking Apart, Better Off Dead, Birthdays Past, Birthdays Present, Haunting Julia, The Girl Next Door, Constant Companions and Truth Will Out.

All money raised from the rehearsed reading will go towards the SJT’s New Work Fund, helping the theatre to present new work on its two stages and to nurture new talent.

Ticket availability is “limited”. Hurry, hurry, to book on 01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com.

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York Beethoven Project to play its first public concert at Joseph Rowntree Theatre in Eroica performance on Saturday

John Atkin: Conducting the York Beethoven Project orchestra on Saturday, the largest ever to perform at the Josepoh Rowntree Theatre

AFTER the success of Symphonies No. 1 and No. 2, the York Beethoven Project is going even bigger for No. 3 in Eb Major Op 55: Eroica in An Evening of Revolutionary Music tomorrow at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York.

“The project is a year old and in that time we have accommodated 84 musicians, averaging 54 at each event, with 40 this weekend: the largest ever orchestra at the Rowntree Theatre,” says organiser John Atkin.

“In fact, No. 3 is so popular that we’ll also be holding a one-day Eroica workshop for another 50 musicians on September 28 at St Barnabas Church, York, to accommodate those who could not fit onto the Rowntree Theatre stage.”

Devised and managed by White Rose Theatre, Saturday’s concert will be the third in the series of nine, performing Beethoven’s symphonies in order, and will be the first one to be open to the public.

In addition, the White Rose Singers will be joined by conductor Atkin’s musical theatre band to present revolutionary musical theatre songs from Les Miserables, West Side Story, Carousel, James Robert Brown and more.

Looking ahead, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in Bb Major Op 60 will be performed on February 8 2025 at York Music Education, Millthorpe School main hall, York; Symphony No. 5 in C minor Op 67, June 28 2025, at St Mary the Virgin, Hemingbrough, and Symphony No. 6 in F Major Op 68 (Pastorale), September 27 2025, venue to be confirmed.

These will all be one-day Come and Play workshops with a performance from 4pm. Music will be distributed electronically in advance. Registration will open six months in advance. “If you would like to play with us in the future, please get in touch by emailing yorkbeethovenproject@gmail.com,” says John.

Saturday’s programme

Act One: Somewhere (from West Side Story; Bernstein and Sondheim), Company/Cathy Atkin; You’ll Never Walk Alone (from Carousel; Rogers & Hammerstein), Company; Symphony No. 3 in Eb Major Op 55 (Eroica; Beethoven), York Beethoven Project Orchestra.

​Act Two: Willkommen (from Cabaret; Kandor and Ebb), Company/Pascha; A New World (from Songs for a New World; Jason Robert Brown), Emma Dickinson, Robert Davies, Alexa Chaplin, Richard Bayton, Company; Take Me To The World (from Evening Primrose; Sondheim), Neil Wood; Send In The Clowns (from A Little Night Music; Sondheim), Robert Davies; He’s My Boy (from Everybody’s Talking About Jamie; Sells & McRae), Emma Dickinson;  The Boy From (from The Mad Show; Rogers & Hammerstein), Pascha Turnbull; Hopelessly Devoted to You (from Grease; Jacobs & Casey), Alexa Chaplin; Say No To This (from Hamilton; Miranda), Claire Ainsworth and Matthew Ainsworth; Why? (from Tick, Tick… Boom!; Larson), Richard Bayton, and Les Miserable Medley, Company.

​Sopranos: Rachel Anderson, Helen Barugh, Emma Dickinson, Liz Gardner and Joy Warner. Altos: Claire Ainsworth, Cathy Atkin, Alexa Chaplin, Emily Rockliff and Pascha Turnbull. Tenors: Matthew Ainsworth and Richard Bayton. Basses: Robert Davies, Anthony Gardner and Neil Wood.

Saturday’s orchestra

First Violins: Louise Watson (leader), Jane Halnan, Susan Hibbert, Anna Howard, Sally Kingsley, John List, Robert Morris and Helen Taylor. Second violins: ​​Nigel Ball, Nicola Dawson, Sue Lawrence, Tanya Pawson, Gordon Taylor, Dorothy Wilson and Emily Wilson. Violas: Joanna Ainsley, Elizabeth Inglis, Amanda Kirby, Francis Loftus, Mary Luker and Sarah Reece.

Cellos: Jenny Fortmann, Michael Lindsay, Margaret Moorhouse and Judith Spindler. Double bass: Rosie Morris and Christian Topman. Flutes: Clare Haskell and Julie Harris. Oboes: John Hayward and Rosie Lynch.​ Clarinets: Morgan Hollis and Jonathan Sage. Bassoons: Deborah Welch and Simon Whalley. Horns: Oliver Balm, Janette Norris, Mike Palako and Mike Reeder. Trumpets: Andrew Dalby, Cameron McArthur and Paul McArthur. Timpani: Tony Norris.

​Conductor: John Atkin.

​Musical Theatre Band:

​Keyboards: John Atkin, Nigel Ball, Gill Boler; reeds: Morgan Hollis, Jonathan Sage; trumpet: Cameron McArthur; trombone: Martin Farmery; guitars: Paul McArthur; bass: Christian Topman; percussion: Andy Jennings.

White Rose Theatre presents York Beethoven Project, An Evening of Revolutionary Music, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, September 14, 7.30pm. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

​

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York Beethoven Project to go ‘even bigger’ for No. 3, Eroica in September at Joseph Rowntree Theatre. Here’s how to apply

John Atkin directing the York Beethoven Project orchestra

YORK Beethoven Project will go “even bigger” for No. 3, Eroica when the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, hosts the third event on Saturday, September 14 and an additional workshop two weeks later.

“After our first event last year it became apparent that we were going to be too big to fit the whole orchestra onto the Rowntree stage, so we’ve had to limit September 14 to a group of 42 musicians, which will still be the biggest orchestra the JoRo has hosted,” says organiser, conductor and White Rose Theatre director John Atkin.

“We’ll therefore be holding another one-day workshop for the Eroica, which is open to all on September 28. So far, we again have more than 50 musicians signed up to take part.”

For more information or to participate, click on the link below or email yorkbeethovenproject@gmail.com.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScZar8bgRoIfMdhbw1fhKizjureEwKjXrz5Gu7dZ5rWrTgBGA/viewform?usp=sf_link

The September 14 event will climax with a 7.30pm concert in two halves under the title of An Evening Of Revolutionary Music.

In the first half, the White Rose Singers will perform groundbreaking music from stage and screen under conductor John Atkin, including songs from West Side Story, Les Misérables, Carousel, James Robert Brown and Stephen Sondheim.

In the second,  the 42-piece York Beethoven Project orchestra will perform Beethoven’s “revolutionary masterpiece”, Symphony No. 3, Eroica. Tickets are on sale on 01904 501935 or at josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

“York Beethoven Project is a unique series of concerts where we’ll perform all Beethoven’s Symphonies in order, featuring local musicians in local venues,” says John.

“After the huge success of Symphonies No. 1 and No. 2, we’re going even bigger for No.3: Eroica. Our future plans are now taking shape with bigger venues arranged for No. 4, 5 and 6 in 2025 and plans are well in place for a VERY big venue (or two ) in 2027 to host a performance of the 9th Symphony on what will be Beethoven’s 200th anniversary.”

Conductor John Atkin

Future events

Symphony No. 4 in Bb Major Op 60

Saturday, February 8 2025, York Music Education, Millthorpe School main hall.

Symphony No. 5 in C minor Op 67

Saturday, June 28 2025, St Mary the Virgin, Hemingbrough.

Symphony No. 6 in F Major Op 68 (Pastorale)

Saturday, September 27 2025, venue to be confirmed.These all will be one-day workshops, culminating in a performance from 4pm. 

Music will be distributed to players electronically well in advance. Registration for each event will open six months in advance. For more information, and to go on the mailing list, contact: yorkbeethovenproject@gmail.com

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After successful day at Millthorpe School, York Beethoven Project announces plans for Symphony No. 3 in York and Malton

John Atkin conductiing the York Beethoven Project musicians at Millthorpe School

THE second event in the York Beethoven Project to perform all nine of his symphonies was a “huge success”, says director and conductor John Atkin.

On February 10, 56 musicians spent the day hosted by York Music Education CIC at Millthorpe School rehearsing Symphony No2, climaxing with an informal performance to an audience.

“York Music Education CIC were fabulous hosts; a number of senior students joined the orchestra for the day, and most groups popped in to listen at some point, including the I Can Play! session, bringing music to deaf children,” says John.

“As with Symphony No. 1, the day was very well organised and ran like clockwork, with five sessions of rehearsals, the second being a sectional one where the wind instruments were directed by Jonathan Sage.    

“There were ample breaks between each session with a couple of hundred cups of tea and coffee as well as cake provided by parents and Friends of York Music Education CIC.”

The aim of the project is inclusivity and opportunity. “That’s why it was really great to include some new faces, especially the students who joined us or came into the open rehearsal and maybe experienced a large orchestra for the first time,” says John. “Huge thanks to Dan Hield and all his team.”

The day was particularly poignant for John, who attended York Music Centre as a pupil in the 1970s and 1980s, when it was held at what was Queen Anne’s Grammar School. 

York Beethoven Project’s second day drew 56 musicians

“I first played there in a recorder ensemble as an eight-year-old, then returned as a trombonist in the late-1970s to play in YASSO and the Concert Band, which was a great experience and a good grounding in orchestral playing,” he says.

“I even gave up Saturday morning rugby to play, so it must have been pretty special!  Either way, it was my first step along a career path that’s now gone on 40-plus years.” 

What’s next? The project is making plans to perform Symphony No. 3, “Eroica”, with a 40-piece orchestra at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, on September 14 and the Wesley Centre, Malton, on September 28 in the company of the White Rose Singers.

Billed as An Evening Of Revolutionary Music, these 7.30pm concerts will feature revolutionary music from musicals including Les Misérables, West Side Story, Carousel and Stephen Sondheim works too.

“We’re asking musicians who play instruments that Beethoven wrote for to sign up to the next event, but we really only have vacancies for strings and French horns,” forewarns John.

Player registration forms can be found at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScZar8bgRoIfMdhbw1fhKizjureEwKjXrz5Gu7dZ5rWrTgBGA/viewform

For more information, go to: www.whiterosetheatre.co.uk

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John Atkin’s No. 9 dream off to flying start as York Beethoven Project rehearses and performs Symphony No. 1 in a day

John Atkin, right, leading the York Beethoven Project workshop for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 at Acomb Methodist Church

ONE down, eight to go! The York Beethoven Project is under way with its vow to perform all of Ludwig Van B’s symphonies.

“The first event at Acomb Methodist Church was a huge success,” says organiser John Atkin, the York musical director and White Rose Theatre stalwart. “Fifty-six musicians put themselves forward to take part in the come-and-play workshop, so we closed registration in advance.

“Those players came from a variety of musical organisations in York, as well as further afield, which was the aim, and 54 attended on the day – September 23 – hosted by York Light Orchestra.

“They rehearsed Symphony No 1 in C major Op. 2, and it was then performed to an audience at the end, where there was standing room only.”

Atkin led the inaugural day, aided by fellow musicians Marcus Bousfield and Jonathan Sage. “It was very well organised and ran like clockwork through five sessions of rehearsals,” says John.

John Atkin’s score for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 at the inaugural York Beethoven Project workshop

“The second one was a sectional rehearsal where the wind instruments were directed by Jonathan. Following these sessions, we performed our debut concert. There were ample breaks between each session with a couple of hundred cups of tea and coffee being consumed.”

Acomb Methodist Church is the regular rehearsal venue for York Light Orchestra, the day’s hosts. “They gave us access to their equipment and music library,” says a grateful John.

Although musicians came predominantly from York, “a few friends and colleagues travelled in from Sheffield, Hull, Harrogate, Thirsk and Northallerton”. “The longest distance travelled was by a couple from East Sussex, who picked us up online. They can’t do Symphony No 2 but have the date for No. 3 in their diaries,” says John.

“There was a pretty even split between men and women, ranging in age from 20s to 70s, with a mixture of full-time players, keen amateurs and a few people ‘getting back into playing’ after a number of years.”

The string players at York Beethoven Project’s first workshop

Explaining his reasons for setting up the project, John says: “I get typecast at times as ‘the man that does shows’. Well, yes I am, but I also love classical music and have looked to spend more time doing this and some other projects as I get older.

“I started playing Beethoven as a young piano student. Then he was on my set works list at A-level, and we did a large piece of work on him at university, where I first had the opportunity to conduct his orchestral works. 

“Over the years, life has got in the way but completing the full cycle of symphonies has always been an ambition. After discussing it with colleagues at gigs and in a number of theatre pits around Yorkshire, it become evident that people would be supportive of the idea, so we launched York Beethoven Project in June and the response was great. Not only did we have 54 players at the first event, but we also have eight others on the waiting list.”

Outlining what he is seeking to achieve with the York Beethoven Project and assessing what the first day delivered, John says: “The plan was for it to be inclusive and fun while performing the work to a good standard. The concert was informal and introduced a number of people to Beethoven for the first time.

“All of our aims were achieved, as well as players rekindling friendships with people they hadn’t seen for some time.  Playing Beethoven for fun all day with 50 people – what’s not to like?!”

The wind players rehearsing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1

Instruments were spread evenly with 32 string players, 21 wind players and a percussionist. “That made the sound well balanced,” says John. “All instruments that Beethoven wrote for are welcome to sign up for the next event at Millthorpe School, hosted by York Arts Education, where I lead some Saturday ensembles.

“Here we hope to join up with a number of senior students and expand the orchestra even more for Symphony No. 2, which is one of my personal favourites. We’ll be doing it in the same format of a one-day workshop on Saturday, February 10.

“The sessions for Symphony No. 3, Eroica, will take place in September 2024 with two performances, hosted by the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, and the Welsey Centre, Malton. These concerts will feature revolutionary music from musicals too, including Les Miserables, Carousel and Sondheim works.”

The concert series will end with Symphony No. 9 in D minor No. 125 in 2027, just in time for the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death (on March 26 1827, at the age of 56). Each concert will take place in a different York venue and will be performed by York-based musicians and those from “not too far away”. Even Sussex!

More information and registration details for these events can be found at www.whiterosetheatre.co.uk. Enquiries about the project may be made via yorkbeethovenproject@gmail.com. 

The poster for the first York Beethoven Project workshop and performance

           

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York Beethoven Project needs string players for first symphony concert in September. Here’s how to apply

John Atkin: Pulling the strings – and hopefully pooling the strings – for the York Beethoven Project

WANTED! String players and students are needed for the York Beethoven Project, launched by White Rose Theatre.

Woodwind or brass pupils can apply too but their places are becoming limited for the first in the series of Beethoven concerts performing his symphonies in order, which opens with No. 1 in C major Op. 21 on Saturday, September 23. 

Plans are in place for Symphonies No. 2 and No. 3 in 2024 and the series will end with Symphony No. 9 in D minor No. 125 in 2027, just in time for the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death (March 26 1827, at the age of 56).

Each concert will take place in a different York venue and will be performed by York-based musicians and those from “not too far away”. A double bass player, from Sheffield, has signed up already.

Symphony No. 1 will be rehearsed and performed in one day at Acomb Methodist Church, in association with York Light Orchestra, York Arts Education and White Rose Theatre and sponsored by Inc Dot.

“This is a Come & Play workshop-style event with rehearsals throughout the day from 9.30am, culminating in an informal concert at 4.15pm, with the audience welcome from 4pm,” says organiser John Atkin, the stalwart York musical director. “Once informed if they have been selected, all registered players will receive their parts in advance. 

The poster announcing the formation of the York Beethoven Project

“The aim is to enjoy playing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 throughout the day and then perform it alongside another well-known and popular short guest piece announced on the day! The event is free and is about taking part, experiencing and enjoying the music, with a collection box for voluntary donations from the audience to support the musicians.”

More than 30 musicians have signed up already. “If you’re a musician and want to take part, we’d love to hear from you,” says John. “We’re looking for anyone who can play an instrument that Beethoven wrote for, at Grade 6 or above, who’s over 16. Under-16s can also be considered if accompanied by an adult.”

​To register your interest to perform at the York Beethoven Project, head to: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdpJPqhwH5aqobIjBon647zVut1zM6ay7HI4P6FZorsVVedRA/viewform to complete the application form. Anyone not able to register online can call or text 07806 487695. Enquiries about the project may be made via yorkbeethovenproject@gmail.com.               

“It’s basically on my bucket list to do the Beethoven Symphonies in their entirety at some point in my life,” says John. “I started them at university – way back when in the last century! – and did three or four there, but then life gets in the way.

“I always wanted to complete the cycle and what a better way than with local people. It should be fun.”