Information for Players
Last updated 13th April 2025: added sectional coaches
CONTENTS
Forthcoming Concerts & Programmes
Rehearsals
Subscriptions
Rehearsal venues
Concert venues
Selling concert tickets
Concert dress
Noticeboard
Management of the Orchestra
Players privacy statement
Forthcoming Concerts & Programmes
Saturday 14th June 2025 - Sheldonian
Sunday 23rd November 2025 - Oxford Town Hall
Saturday 14th March 2026 - Oxford Town Hall
Saturday 20th June 2026 - Sheldonian
Rehearsals
Spring/Summer 2025
Saturday 14th June 2025 - The Sheldonian Theatre
2nd flute doubles piccolo; 2nd oboe doubles cor anglais;
2nd clarinet doubles bass clarinet (see → IMSLP for a bass clarinet part in B♭);
2nd bassoon doubles contrabassoon; trumpets and trombones tacet in 2nd movement.
trombones play in 4th movement only
percussion (triangle) in 3rd movement only
Rehearsal schedule (PDF to follow...)
Rehearsals are 7.15-9.45pm on Tuesdays at Greyfriars School, except where indicated. Strings are required at all rehearsals; other players, as indicated (see below).
If you are unable to attend any rehearsal, be sure to inform your section leader, and if for any reason you anticipate being absent more than two rehearsals for any concert please notify your section leader as far in advance as possible.
| 25thMarch | 7.15pm Schumann
7.45pm Brahms mvt 1 9.00pm Brahms mvt 2 |
2222 4000
2222 4000 2222 4000 |
|---|---|---|
| No rehearsal (Easter holidays) |
|
|
| 22ndApril | Brahms mvt 4
Brahms mvt 3 |
2223 4000
2223 4000 |
| 29thApril | 7.15pm Bartók
9.00pm EGM |
2222 4000 harp |
| 6thMay | Sectionals | Violins & violas: MR
Cellos: RM Woodwinds: Meyrick Alexander Horns: Tim Anderson |
| 13thMay | 7.15pm Bartók
9.00pm Schumann |
2222 4000 harp celeste
2222 4000 |
| 20thMay | Bartók with soloist,
mvts 1, 3 then 2 |
2222 4230 harp celeste timp perc×2 |
| 27thMay | No rehearsal
|
|
| 3rdJune | Brahms mvts 1, 3, 2
Schumann |
2222 4200 timp
2222 4200 |
| 10thJune | 7.15pm Brahms mvt 3
7.30pm Brahms mvt 4 Schumann Brahms mvts 1,2 |
2223 4200 timp perc×1
2223 4230 timp 2222 4230 timp 2222 4200 timp |
| Saturday 14thJune |
3.30pm Schumann
3.45pm Brahms 4.45pm Bartók 7.30pm Concert |
Tutti as required |
| Sunday 20thJuly |
6.45pm - 9.45pm Truck rehearsal | Tutti as required |
| 22ndJuly | 6.45pm - 9.45pm Truck rehearsal | Tutti as required |
| Sunday 27thJuly |
Truck | Tutti as required |
Subscriptions
One of the contributions that players make to the running of the orchestra is the payment of an annual or termly subscription. The 2024/25 rates remain the same as last year, at:
Annual fee: £192, or three payments of £64 per term
Students and unwaged: £22 per term.
Players who feel able to do so are invited to pay at a higher rate or make additional contributions, by topping up their payments or by sponsoring a particular activity.
Subscription payments, due at first rehearsal of term, may be made by bank transfer, cheque or cash. Rates are reviewed annually. If you are able to pay your subscription for the year all in one go, then please do so, as it really helps to cut down the time committee members have to spend processing them.
If you are UK tax payer, the orchestra (being a registered charity) can claim back tax you have paid on your subscription payments. This generates significant extra income for the orchestra. So, if you pay tax, please ensure that you complete a declaration form. Further details about payments and tax declaration forms are available from the Membership Secretary, Catherine Hartley.
Exceptionally, where a player has circumstances of particular personal hardship, a case for temporary reduction of fees can be considered by the Chair of the orchestra.
Rehearsal venues
Greyfriars School:
Main Hall, Cricket Road, Oxford, OX4 3DR
Google map
School site plan (pdf)
Please note that new LTN's (Low Traffic Neighbourhoods) have appeared
around the Cowley/Florence Park area and access to the school can now
only be made from the Cowley Rd side. Cornwallis Rd, Rymer's Lane &
Little Hay Rd are now blocked and are no through roads.
Access to the School is via a one-way loop road off Cricket Road. By car from Cowley Road,
turn into Shelley Road. Take the second left turn into Cricket Road and then the first right into the School.
There is ample parking but only vehicles carrying very heavy instruments (i.e. harps, timpani and other large percussion instruments) may be brought along the pedestrian walkway to the Main Hall (c.150 metres) for unloading and loading.
During rehearsals vehicles must be returned to car park spaces.
Please depart promptly after rehearsals as the external gates are locked at 10:15pm.
Also note that the whole school site is a 'no smoking' area and that the
contract to use the premises is immediately cancelled for a hiring organisation
if anyone associated with it is found smoking on site.
We have received a firm reminder from Greyfriar's about which area of the car park the Orchestra is expected to occupy on Tuesday evenings; please could you kindly look at the map (below), and be sure to park within the designated area (the L-shaped area outlined in yellow), & not in the reserved area (the rectangle outlined in red) which belongs to a different school:
Concert venues
Oxford Town Hall: St Aldates, Oxford OX1 1BX Directions, Map, Travel and Parking information
Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford: Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3AZ Map and directions
Noticeboard
The committee runs a OSO noticeboard where adverts may be placed with regards to further musical opportunities.
Selling concert tickets
Players are expected to take an active part in promoting concerts and selling tickets to friends and family. Tickets sold in advance by players are available at discounted rates from the standard ticket price of £18.
Management of the Orchestra
A committee of orchestra members meets three times a year to discuss and agree plans. Speak to any one of us on the committee if there is something you feel we should consider or if you'd like to help in some way with running the orchestra. If you've got thoughts about repertoire or music you feel would be good to play, do talk to Robert Max.
Orchestra members have an annual general meeting in November or December when new committee members are elected and ideas can be discussed by everyone. The present committee members are:
David Patrick - Chair (chair@oxfordsymphonyorchestra.org.uk)
Lorna Softley - Secretary
Andrew Rendell - Treasurer
Dominic Knight - Concert Manager
Dani McNeil - Librarian
Helen Kidd - Marketing and Publicity
Catherine Hartley - Membership Secretary (membership@oxfordsymphonyorchestra.org.uk)
Matthias Winkel - Production Company
Karen Bendall - Social Media
Jill Bailey
Sally Prime
Robert Max - Musical Director (in attendance)
Mariette Richter - Leader (in attendance)
Other roles include:
Sharon Curtis - Website (website@oxfordsymphonyorchestra.org.uk)
Paul Johnson - Programmes
Grace Lane - Truck
Players' Privacy Statement
Why do we need your data ? We need to collect and store some details about you so that we can inform you about orchestra matters and organise and promote our activities. We will not use your data for any other purpose without your consent. We will never give it to third parties and if another player asks for your contact details we will only ever share them with your consent.
We only collect the data we need This may include, your name, email address, payment and Gift Aid information, phone number, postal address, bank details, photographic/video images. We review what data we have on members every two years and remove it if we no longer need it. If you leave the group, we’ll make sure we stop using and/or delete any data we don’t need to keep (e.g. for financial reporting).
Queries and updating/removal of data At any time you can ask to view, update or correct any data we hold on you. You can also ask that we stop using your data or that we erase it. To request any of these, please contact the Chair of the orchestra.
By playing in Oxford Symphony Orchestra you acknowledge and agree to use of your data in accordance with this Privacy Statement.
