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115-605: The Liverpool Summer Pops is a summer music event in Liverpool. Now being branded as "Liverpool Summer Pops Festival", the event features performances by bands and artists in one venue over consecutive nights, as well as some events in other 'fringe' venues. The Summer Pops was established in 1993 by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society under the Artistic Direction of conductor Carl Davis . The event

230-468: A cantata based on words from Milton's Comus to celebrate the opening of the hall. Mendelssohn died before this could be carried out. The hall cost £30,000 (£3.93 million as of 2024) and was formally opened on 27 August 1849. The first concert was performed by an orchestra of 96 and a choir of over 200; performers at the concert included three future conductors of the orchestra, Alfred Mellon , Julius Benedict and Charles Hallé . The organist

345-412: A Cambridge graduate who set out to secure academic success at a time when the mark of a great school was the number of pupils winning university scholarships. The Collegiate also started to earn an enviable reputation within the city and beyond, and pupil numbers rose from around 400 in 1908 to over 1000 by the early 1920s. Fuelled by the desire to prove itself more than a poor relation of Liverpool College,

460-459: A century. A new school organ was installed by Rushworth and Dreaper in 1913. Annual School Camps began in 1914, and from the 1920s Games lessons were conducted at Holly Lodge playing fields in West Derby. In 1929, following the death of the first headmaster, the post was taken up by Arnold MacKenzie Gibson. He embarked on a broadening of the school curriculum and wished to place as much emphasis on

575-443: A concert hall to be situated at the junction of Hope Street and Myrtle Street. It was to contain an audience of 2,100 and an orchestra of 250. To raise money for its building, shares were issued and members of Liverpool society were invited to buy seats in the boxes to be included in the hall. The foundation stone was laid in 1846 and construction began the following year. In 1847 the society invited Felix Mendelssohn to compose

690-578: A fee-paying school for boys of middle-class parents and administered as three distinct organisations under a single headmaster. The Upper School became Liverpool College and relocated to Lodge Lane in 1884, whilst the Middle and Lower (or Commercial) Schools occupied the original site and would combine to form the Liverpool Collegiate School in 1908. The Collegiate magazine, Esmeduna, which first appeared in 1896 and continued publication until 1978,

805-490: A fire, apparently due to an electrical fault in the kitchens below the school hall, ravaged the building. Luckily all 530 pupils were evacuated and no casualties were reported but all three floors above the dining hall were destroyed. Brian Fitton, a history teacher at the school from 1962, remembers events this way: By the 1980s the Collegiate’s intake had been transformed. There was still a strong nucleus of ability but also

920-480: A former associate conductor, Simon Rattle , all conducted. In 1990 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic celebrated the 150th anniversary of its foundation. In the 1990–91 season, among the works performed that were new to the society was Paul McCartney 's Liverpool Oratorio , conducted in Liverpool Cathedral by Carl Davis . In 1992, a rear extension was added to the hall. During the following year, while on tour,

1035-634: A further 25% did so only for special occasions such as weddings. By the end of a decade of major social change, the Collegiate had at least offered pupils guitar lessons and tolerated a progressive rock society. The Christian Union's penny paper, The Torch, had begun putting searching questions to staff and, in an interview with Head of Science Maurice Derbyshire in 1969, unearthed a little-known school war cry : Boomerang-er, Boomerang-er, Boom, Boom, Boom; Chickeracka, Chickeracka, Chow, Chow, Chow; Ooh, Ah, Ooh, Ah, Ah, Col, Col, Collegiate! In February 1970

1150-477: A large number of 'problem' boys. The building was not ideally suited to a comprehensive school. The Collegiate’s days were clearly numbered and reorganisation in 1984 came as a relief to some, a chance to escape at last! After the fire the school continued to function, as part of Breckfield Comprehensive. Collegiate Old Boys could not imagine the appalling conditions then endured by the boys and staff who were left. Most staff (the lucky ones?) were distributed throughout

1265-534: A lecturing position at a college in the south of England. The vice-principal, Ellis Clarke, a French teacher and rugby fanatic who had taught at the school since 1955, was appointed headmaster. School sports teams, clubs and societies, including long-standing Collegiate traditions such as the Gild debating society and the CCF, continued to thrive throughout the increasingly challenging decade of Clarke's headship. Review magazine flew

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1380-399: A little over £120,000 (£9.4 million as of 2024). Sir Thomas Beecham conducted the opening concert on 20 June 1939. Incorporated in the hall is an organ built by Rushworth and Dreaper , the pipework being hidden behind decorative grilles either side of the orchestra platform. The organ console rises from beneath, and was originally built on a turntable, allowing the organist to face

1495-523: A permanent body for the first time. Until then the Philharmonic was not a permanent ensemble, but comprised a nucleus of local players augmented from a pool of musicians who also played for the Hallé and latterly BBC Northern Orchestra . During the autumn and winter months the orchestra gave no more than one concert in a fortnight. The Hallé, which operated on a similar ad hoc basis, followed Liverpool's example

1610-461: A permanent orchestra. The society agreed to promote musical education in and around Liverpool. In Sargent's first season, the orchestra made its first recording, its first broadcast, and gave its first school children's concert. Under him there was a "spectacular explosion" in the number of concerts and recording sessions performed. In 1944 the orchestra made its first appearance in London, performing at

1725-496: A request for a School Fund contribution of 2/- (two shillings) per term. As more information about behavioural expectations were added, copying out the School Rules would outstrip lines as the preferred punishment for minor misdeeds. At Speech Day in 1959, Crofts was reporting good A level and mediocre O level results, and that the average age of Collegiate staff had fallen with younger teachers bringing new activities and vitality to

1840-1035: A summer school at Dunkirk, regular exchanges with pupils in France and Germany and the continuation of the customary summer camp on the Isle of Man . A new school song, 'Paean Esmedunensis', with music by Gibson and words in Latin by his deputy, Victor Dunstan, was first performed at the Annual Prize Giving of 1931 and would last the lifetime of the Collegiate. Vivat haec sodalitas, Decus Esmedunae, Nulli usquam posthabenda, Semper in caelum tollenda, Magnae virum cunae. Stimulat ingenium Nos et virtus urget, Nec ignota sunt maiorum, Facta, nec aetas minorum, Segnior exsurget. Nunc patronos memori Corde celebremus: Nos auxerunt largitate, Ampliarunt dignitate, His honorem demus. Long live this fellowship, The Order of Esmedune, Second to none on earth, Always raised up to

1955-594: Is Responsibility' appears on some early school medals awarded for academic success. In 1963 the Liverpool Education Committee announced its intention to abolish the 11 Plus examination and for the Collegiate to become a six form entry comprehensive school. Although several detailed plans were discussed and the long-term intentions of the LEA were clear, the proposals appeared to stall and the Collegiate carried on operating normally. Renovation work and improvements to

2070-405: Is Sir Simon Rattle, who was a percussionist in the orchestra from 1965 to 1972. This group was formed in 1997 by two members of the orchestra, principal clarinettist Nick Cox and associate principal cello Hilary Browning, to address a gap in programming by performing works of contemporary music and was initially run by the players themselves, receiving funding from the north-west arts board. It

2185-803: Is a music organisation based in Liverpool , England, that manages a professional symphony orchestra, a concert venue, and extensive programmes of learning through music. Its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, is the UK's oldest continuing professional symphony orchestra. In addition to the orchestra, the organisation administers the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company and other choirs and ensembles. It

2300-479: Is commissioned to write a new work to be performed by Ensemble 10:10. Since 2008, Liverpool Philharmonic has delivered its Music and Mental Health programme. Encouraging self-expression and skills development, the programme offers anyone experiencing mental ill-health in the local area the opportunity to access and benefit from music to aid their recovery and wellbeing. Working alongside Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, other NHS partners and mental health charities,

2415-507: Is continuing, notably an Alwyn symphony cycle and orchestral works under David Lloyd-Jones; also Petrenko took the Elgar Symphonies and orchestral works and Andrew Manze's new Vaughan Williams cycle completed both series in 2019. Much of this recording legacy is due to the availability of the Hall for recording and rehearsal purposes and is now supplemented by The Friary, rehearsal studio, which

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2530-545: Is involved in educational and community projects in Liverpool and its surrounding region. It is based in the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall , an Art Deco concert hall built in the late 1930s. The organisation has its origins in a group of music amateurs in the early 19th century. They had met during the 1830s in St Martin's Church under the leadership of William Sudlow, a stockbroker and organist; their main interest

2645-669: Is the venue for the outreach programme 'In Harmony' in the West Everton district of the city. In 1989 the society and orchestra received an honorary fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University and in 1991 they became one of the first organisations to be awarded the Freedom of the City of Liverpool. The City of Liverpool granted them an honour of Meritorious Service in 1997. In the Classic FM Gramophone Awards 2007, Vasily Petrenko

2760-596: The Covent Garden Opera Company . In 1948 Sargent resigned as principal conductor. On 2 October 1949 Yehudi Menuhin and the Liverpool Philharmonic (conducted by Malcolm Sargent ) played at Belle Vue, Manchester . Sargent's successor, Hugo Rignold , initially had a difficult time, partly because of his background as a jazz and dance band player. However, he served in the post for six years and left in 1954 with an enhanced reputation. From 1955

2875-459: The Education Act 1902 gave new local education authorities powers to run secondary schools. The Collegiate was purchased by Liverpool Corporation in 1907 and was transformed into a single, integrated establishment entrusted to provide a high quality grammar school education. The first headmaster of the new, LEA-controlled Liverpool Collegiate School was Samuel Edward Brown, appointed in 1908,

2990-684: The Kings of Arms , an honour authorised by the Crown and bestowed on relatively few schools. The new coat of arms was designed by H. Ellis Tomlinson , one of the country's leading heraldic experts and a French teacher at Baines' Grammar School in Poulton-le-Fylde. The original motto, still on display in the mosaic tile badge in the Collegiate entrance hall, was retained and reads 'Ut Olim Ingenii Necnon Virtutis Cultores' which can be translated as 'When you have Knowledge also Cultivate Wisdom'. The simplified 'Knowledge

3105-556: The Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra who had rehearsed at the school before the Philharmonic Hall was built in the late 1930s. Even before the 1950s concerns about falling standards were being voiced as pre-war expectations were changing and being challenged. Throughout the decade and beyond, the headmaster continued to measure academic success largely by the places his pupils secured at Oxford and Cambridge, while

3220-532: The Royal Albert Hall . The Times commented, "If Liverpool felt any qualms about letting its orchestra, accustomed as it is to the perfect acoustics of its own hall, try its fortunes in the rough and tumble of the Albert Hall, they will have been silenced, for what was immediately apparent was … an ensemble and congruity of tone-colouring that London in its less fortunate conditions can only envy". Sargent and

3335-451: The concertante piano part. After Groves' fourteen years' tenure as principal conductor, each of his three successors remained in post for much shorter periods; Walter Weller from 1977 to 1980, David Atherton from 1980 to 1983 and Marek Janowski from 1983 to 1987. In 1983 Edward Cowie was made Composer in Residence, the first such appointment to a major British orchestra. Musically

3450-402: The 'average boy' as the high-achieving university candidate. Gibson put in place alternative routes by which boys could make progress up the school and tried to ensure that all pupils received a well-rounded education, believing the education of the whole person, for leisure as much as work, to be as important as subject specialisation. From the early 1930s more school trips were arranged including

3565-517: The 1930s, and the headmaster was able to report rising academic achievement at successive Prize Giving ceremonies. Gibson was also urging the building of a new Collegiate building in West Derby and in 1936 the Liverpool Education Committee recommended to the City Council the purchase of land in Meadow Lane. Proposals were set aside, however, as the international situation became increasingly tense during

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3680-561: The Concert Room of St George's Hall. The orchestra tours to other towns and cities in the UK and abroad. In March 2010 it toured in Switzerland. The hall can be hired for corporate or private events. The orchestra rehearses and makes recordings at the Liverpool Philharmonic at the Friary. Notes Bibliography Liverpool Collegiate Institution Liverpool Collegiate School

3795-1018: The Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, the name "Royal" was added to its title in 1990. Its longest serving chorus master was Dr J. E. Wallace who held this position from 1929 to 1970, apart from a break during the Second World War. Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company works with young musicians of varying levels of expertise from across the Liverpool City Region. The Youth Company comprises four ensembles: Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Academy Orchestra, Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Session Orchestra, and Liverpool Philharmonic Brass Band. The Youth Company also includes four choirs: Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir, Liverpool Philharmonic Cambiata Choir, Liverpool Philharmonic Children's Choir and Liverpool Philharmonic Melody Makers. The organisation's Youth Orchestra

3910-460: The RLPO, Elton John , Paul McCartney , The Corrs , The Who , James Brown , Paul Simon , Bob Dylan , Diana Ross , Jools Holland , Tom Jones , Bryan Ferry , Westlife , Alice Cooper , Julio Iglesias , Sugababes , ZZ Top , Eric Clapton , Pet Shop Boys , Corinne Bailey Rae , Bryan Adams , Il Divo and Blink-182 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society Royal Liverpool Philharmonic

4025-532: The School succeeded in attracting "first class graduates, many from Oxbridge , to teach at the Collegiate, in a depressingly urban setting in what was then an unfashionable Northern city", inspirational teachers who helped "to transform the school in a generation into one of the leading grammar schools in the country". Yearly dramatic or musical productions were instigated, including the school tradition of staging Gilbert & Sullivan operettas which endured for half

4140-564: The University of Liverpool for those keen to progress their career in the classical music industry, or enter or develop a career in arts management. Liverpool Philharmonic established the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Emerging Musicians Fellowship in 2021. Run annually, the programme immerses four emerging orchestral musicians in the daily life of a professional orchestra, giving them

4255-515: The academic success of the majority of pupils, despite Gibson's concerns in the 1930s, could be regarded as average. The rise in disciplinary incidents led to Punishment Schools taking place in two rooms when more than 40 boys were kept behind, each with two masters in attendance. A Swedish visitor to the school in 1950 regarded the Prefect System as similar to those in Sweden, though less democratic, but

4370-419: The all-star BBC Salon Orchestra on 11 July 1942 after a month's notice - enabled Webster and Sargent to recruit leading players such as Anthony Pini and Reginald Kell , with the result that for a few years the Liverpool Philharmonic had a strong claim to be the finest orchestra in the country. During Webster's period as chairman, the orchestra increased its concerts from 32 a year to 148 and, in 1942, became

4485-504: The atmosphere was rather one of a holiday picnic than a sad parting." The account details the warm welcome extended to pupils in Bangor, their dispersal to billets, the glorious weather and outdoor activities such as cycle rides, fishing and swimming. After three weeks organisation, with lorries and cars having transported vital equipment from Liverpool, lessons took place at the Friar's Junior School,

4600-453: The audience and conductor, or the choir. The console is now fitted with wheels and can be played anywhere on the platform. A Walturdaw rising cinema screen is also housed under the platform, the last such screen in the world still in working order. After the outbreak of the Second World War there was pressure to suspend the orchestra's concerts. The chairman of the management committee, David Webster , strongly resisted it, insisting that music

4715-613: The audience. He resigned in January 1883 at which time the standards of the orchestra and the choir had deteriorated, and members of the committee were disagreeing with each other. The person appointed to sort this out was Charles Hallé who had by this time established the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester. Hallé continued as principal conductor until his death in 1895. During this time the orchestra and choir flourished. Those who appeared with

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4830-595: The boarded-up windows. Staff had to commute between the Collegiate and Breckfield sites. As I look back I wonder how we (staff & boys) managed to put up with it. The final closure in 1987 could not come too soon! No matter what political machinations were taking place, in the end the fire destroyed the school. Henceforth the building could only partially be used. The school was already in the process of amalgamating, and lessons were increasingly transferred to Breckfield Comprehensive, which did please some pupils as they had their first experience of mixed classes. The Collegiate

4945-526: The building took place in the mid 1960s, and throughout the decade concerts, school plays and productions of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas continued as usual. There were school trips to Switzerland for the skiing, Hadrian's Wall, Derbyshire, Yugoslavia, and to a kibbutz in Israel. The school camp at Kirk Michael, Isle of Man was augmented by another at Colomendy in North Wales. In 1967 following Crofts's retirement,

5060-448: The cane continued to be used for more serious indiscipline. The Education Act 1944 abolished fee-paying at state grammar schools and ensured that the Collegiate took only pupils who passed the 11 Plus examination . Amidst post-war austerity , plans for a new Collegiate in West Derby appeared to evaporate, and Crofts believed that "the old building had many years of life before it still". Renovation work including electrical rewiring and

5175-434: The city and there were many conspiracy theories explaining why the listed building was being allowed to deteriorate. Several refurbishment schemes were proposed and further water damage hindered progress. Finally in 1998, regeneration specialists Urban Splash and architects ShedKM submitted a successful £9M plan, approved by the city council and English Heritage , to turn the school into designer apartments. Although much of

5290-533: The city's schools, although both cane and slipper appear to have continued in common use throughout the seventies. In September the school received formal notice that it was to be reorganised as a comprehensive school for boys, having a 5 form entry admitted on a non-local, non-selective basis. Despite struggles with the local council and the Secretary of State, in 1973 the Collegiate became a comprehensive school that would provide education for around 900 boys. Initially,

5405-477: The city. Many boys left for more settled schools, leaving the Collegiate half empty. Buses took boys to Breckfield for dinner—on one occasion the Collegiate boys, who now included large numbers of black boys from the Toxteth area, were viciously attacked by a racist mob as they got off the bus outside Breckfield. The Collegiate building never lost the smell of smoke. Pigeons in their hundreds (and some kestrels!) colonised

5520-565: The close of the 2020–2021 season, and then become the orchestra's conductor laureate. In June 2019, Domingo Hindoyan first guest-conducted the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. In June 2020, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra announced the appointment of Hindoyan as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2021–2022 season. In July 2023, the RLPO announced the extension of Hindoyan's contract as chief conductor through July 2028. A choir has been an integral part of Liverpool Philharmonic since its foundation. Originally called

5635-475: The closing of Oulton High School and the merging of its pupils into the Collegiate, was accompanied by the installation of its head, W. J. R. Gibbs, as temporary headmaster of the Collegiate until his retirement in 1947. Gibbs set up a House System during the evacuation and had formed an active Parents' Association. He also started Parents' Nights to foster closer links between the school and the home. In 1947, Kenneth A. Crofts who had been vice-principal since 1938,

5750-591: The early efforts were in 1943, Walton's Belshazzar's Feast , and the Arthur Bliss 's Piano Concerto in B-flat , with Solomon as soloist, and conducted by Boult. In 1998 the orchestra became the first in Britain to own and run its own record label, known as 'RLPO Live'. This was a company created by the members of the orchestra, using the technical expertise of its own members to create recordings of live performances, with

5865-403: The first time. Evacuee numbers became depleted ahead of a larger return in late Spring with a mere 50 boys staying on in Bangor. The evacuation appears to have contributed to Gibson suffering stress-related illness, and he never fully returned to duties. Ironically the return occurred just as military hostilities began to increase. Air-raids took place from August 1940 and Merseyside was to become

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5980-540: The flag for pupil journalism after the Commentator's demise in 1974, though Esmeduna produced its final edition in 1978. A Parent Teacher Association was set up, also a Remedial Department to address the needs of the less academic boys now entering the school. Rumours about the future of the school and the lack of investment in the building suggested that upgrades which had been promised might not happen. Amidst difficult economic conditions and an inner city environment which

6095-590: The flexibility suggested by Gibson in the 1930s, and more academic pupils could, for instance, skip their fourth year Shell form. After the fifth year, Transitus (Trans) forms existed to provide a second chance for boys who underachieved at O Level. The Upper School consisted of 6β (6 beta, lower sixth form) and 6α (6 alpha, upper sixth form). By the 1970s the school was smaller with fewer staff and boys, and reduced funding. An increase in reported cases of indiscipline, including several violent incidents, were causing concern, as were four break-ins which resulted in theft from

6210-433: The following year and became a permanent ensemble for the first time, under John Barbirolli . The financial situation of the society improved in 1942 when the local authority, Liverpool City Corporation, bought the freehold of the hall for £35,000; the corporation undertook to pay the society an annuity of £4,000 and to allow it free use of the hall provided that it gave an agreed number of concerts each year, and maintained

6325-600: The hall of the Collegiate Institution in Shaw Street. In 1843 the society appointed its first principal conductor, the Swiss-born J. Zeugheer Herrmann , who continued in this role until his death in 1865. During the following year, the orchestra performed its first symphonies, Haydn's No. 99 and Beethoven's First . In 1844 the society appointed the Liverpool architect John Cunningham to prepare plans for

6440-474: The high standards of the orchestra and also encouraged the work of modern composers. He was the first English conductor to direct a full cycle of Mahler's symphonies. The orchestra undertook its first overseas tour in 1966, playing in Germany and Switzerland. In 1968 Groves conducted a performance of Messiaen's Turangalîla Symphony , in the presence of the composer, with Messiaen's wife, Yvonne Loriod, playing

6555-478: The installation of hot water began in 1950. New showers were built at Holly Lodge, and from 1954 additional playing fields at Leyfield Road, West Derby were provided for rugby and athletics. Summer camps on the Isle of Man were resumed in 1949 and would continue into the seventies. Annual school plays and musicals continued to be an important part of Collegiate life, as were concert performances including guest appearances by

6670-570: The interior was beyond repair, the entrance hall was restored, including the mosaic tiled Collegiate badge; the stunning façade and sides of the building were restored and a walled garden was created from the surviving walls of the school hall. The school finally re-opened on 12 October 2000, comprising 96 one, two and three bedroom apartments. The project was totally completed in May 2001 and received an RIBA Housing award in 2002. The Collegiate Old Boys' Association, set up in 1909, thrives to this day, though

6785-434: The late 1930s. School visits to Belgium and, perhaps surprisingly, to Germany continued. In July 1939, with war being anticipated, the Collegiate sent a circular to parents outlining plans for the entire school to evacuate the city and relocate to Bangor, North Wales. The plans included such details as the times of trains leaving Lime Street station on the evacuation days and the clothing to be included in boys' luggage. School

6900-496: The life chances of children in North Liverpool. Participants take part in ensembles and music lessons which aim to increase their confidence, wellbeing and skills, and offer opportunities to travel, learn, perform and collaborate with professional musicians, international artists and other young people. Liverpool Philharmonic was previously the principal Higher Education Partner with Liverpool Hope University, supplying members of

7015-525: The local Youth Hostel and the Twrgwyn Chapel. The initial euphoria seems to have been short-lived. There were problems with billeting, and with parents inflicting themselves on harassed hosts during impromptu visits to their sons. After Christmas, the military inactivity of the Phoney War was encouraging many boys to return home to Liverpool. The Collegiate re-opened and two women teachers were appointed for

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7130-535: The mantle of investigative, grassroots journalism was duly taken up by The Commentator which also became an active promoter of sports events, competitions and the Film Club. The school's traditional form structure was also being reviewed at this time; the antiquated grammar school form names consisted of: Third forms (First Year of secondary school), Fourth forms (second year), Removes (third year), Shells (fourth years) and Fifths. This path however appears to have allowed for

7245-423: The most heavily bombed area of the country outside London. The Collegiate itself very nearly became a casualty of The Blitz . In 1936, the annual Founders Day Service had been held for the first time at the neighbouring St. Augustine's Church on the opposite side of College Road North. Five years later, on 4 May 1941, the Collegiate narrowly escaped a Luftwaffe bomb which instead destroyed St Augustine's. In 1943,

7360-416: The only noticeable difference was that the building itself was cleaned with sand and detergent and its exterior changed from black to the original sandstone colour. School life carried on almost as normal, although C.R. Woodward announced his resignation as headmaster. Outwardly supportive of the move to comprehensive status, it seems that Woodward did not relish presiding over such monumental change and took up

7475-698: The opportunity to rehearse, perform, train and carry out education programmes alongside the musicians of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2015, Liverpool Philharmonic established the Christopher Brooks Prize, now known as the Rushworth Composition Prize, which offers an early-career composer of original music the opportunity to work alongside Liverpool Philharmonic. The prize winner takes part in workshops and masterclasses with composers, performers, conductors and other industry professionals associated with Liverpool Philharmonic, and

7590-404: The orchestra during this time were Sir Henry Wood and Sir Thomas Beecham . During the early 1930s there was concern about the deteriorating financial situation of the society. There was a problem in filling seats and it was suggested that the rule of wearing evening dress at concerts should be relaxed; this was turned down. Disaster struck the society on 5 July 1933 when the Philharmonic Hall

7705-576: The orchestra gave the British premieres of Tippett 's First Symphony , and Bartók 's Concerto for Orchestra and, in October 1946, the concert première of Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra . Guest conductors in the immediate postwar years included Beecham, Sir Adrian Boult , the young Charles Groves , and Karl Rankl , who made so good an impression that he was appointed musical director of

7820-558: The orchestra to teach in their music department, and arranging workshops and masterclasses . Students from the Royal Northern College of Music are invited to gain experience by rehearsing and playing with the orchestra and with Ensemble 10:10. Liverpool Philharmonic is also part of the Liverpool Arts Regeneration Consortium. Liverpool Philharmonic runs a Classical Music Industry MA in partnership with

7935-414: The orchestra was conducted by a series of guest conductors, who included Wilhelm Furtwängler , George Szell , Pierre Monteux , Serge Koussevitzky , and Bruno Walter . Soloists included Pablo Casals , John McCormack , Elisabeth Schumann , Yehudi Menuhin (his first appearance was at the age of 15), Solomon , Benno Moiseiwitsch , and Maggie Teyte . The British conductors to have a major influence on

8050-541: The orchestra was given the title of the Classic FM Orchestra in North West England . As a result of this partnership, concerts of more "popular and accessible" pieces from the classical repertoire are played, and the radio station broadcasts some of these concerts. By the start of 2008, the station had broadcast 25 concerts, and the contract for the partnership has been extended to 2012. In 2008 Liverpool

8165-574: The orchestra was the first non-Czech orchestra to perform the opening concert in the Prague Spring Festival . The hall was refurbished in 1995 at a cost of £10.3 million; during this time concerts were performed in Liverpool Cathedral. As part of this refurbishment, the curving interior, which had originally been constructed in fibrous plaster , was replaced with concrete. In 1997, Libor Pešek stood down as principal conductor and

8280-627: The orchestra. In particular, and more recently, Libor Pešek made a number of award-winning recordings with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra of Czech composers, including symphonies and orchestral music of Antonín Dvořák and Josef Suk. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's catalogue also includes a complete symphony cycle and other works by Beethoven with Sir Charles Mackerras , Britten, Mahler symphonies with Schwarz, Pešek and Mackerras, as well as many works of Rachmaninov, Smetana and Richard Strauss with those conductors. A full Vaughan Williams symphony cycle and other works with Vernon Handley

8395-448: The original Collegiate Institution had been affiliated to the Church of England and this was still the case after the LEA assumed control in 1908. Yet the school had always attracted other denominations; the evacuation circular sent out in 1939, for instance, had included information for the parents of Jewish boys at the school. The survey also recorded that 60% of boys never went to church, and

8510-402: The original annual subscription of 2/6d (12½p) has increased to £10, with a Life Membership costing £90. It hosts an Annual Dinner, issues a yearly Newsletter to members, and maintains an informative website. The Collegiate Old Boys FC run five soccer Saturday Teams and two Sunday Teams, and the association also has an active Golf Society. Liverpool Collegiate RUFC is an autonomous rugby club which

8625-493: The performers, conductor and soloists being equal shareholders. As a recording orchestra the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra has a varied and critically acclaimed discography throughout the era of recording, the famous Handel Messiah, Mendelsohn Elijah and Elgar Dream of Gerontius early LPs with Sargent and notable first recordings of British works, e.g. Frederick Delius and Arthur Bliss with Groves and Handley, both of whom have left an extensive British recorded repertoire with

8740-440: The poorest ever recorded at the school and the annual Prize Giving was marred by incidents before and after the event with some Collegiate boys being attacked by gangs of youths. The following year, the guest of honour was ex-pupil Leonard Rossiter and the event was prudently held in the afternoon. The school premises were in a bad state of repair. Asbestos lagging needed to be replaced, leading to an early end to term, and in 1983

8855-404: The post of headmaster was awarded to Cyril R. Woodward, the vice-principal, English teacher and rugby enthusiast who first came to the school in 1946. In December, Esmeduna contained a school survey which included the religious background of the 180 new intake pupils, or 'Newts' as they were called. Over 80 of the new first years were from Roman Catholic families, which may seem surprising given that

8970-679: The programme has supported over 14,000 service users and their families across a variety of inpatient and community settings since its inception. The programme sees musicians from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra working with participants across a range of workshops and concerts, including music-making, composition and song writing, improvisation, participant-led group performances, Dementia Friendly and Relaxed concerts, and adult learning opportunities. The orchestra society made its earliest recordings before WWII with Moiseiwitsch performing Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 2 (1937 with Walter Goehr) and Paganini Variations (1938, Basil Cameron ) Among

9085-433: The region. In 2003 the society a project known as Music for Life was launched to work with people in the most deprived areas in the city, working with primary schools and their communities. The project includes providing instruments and supporting a children's orchestra and a community choir. Liverpool Philharmonic established In Harmony Liverpool in 2009 – a learning programme which uses orchestral music-making to improve

9200-624: The rich and élite members of Liverpool society, for "the pleasure of the moneyed merchant class in the town". Its first concert was given on 12 March 1840 in a room at the back of a dance academy in Great Richmond Street and was conducted by John Russell with William Sudlow as organist. The programme consisted of 13 short orchestral and choral pieces, including works by Auber , Rossini , Spohr , Henry Bishop , and George Onslow , and madrigals by Thomas Morley and John Wilbye . The society outgrew this room and gave its performances in

9315-405: The school. He was also still hopeful that a new Collegiate could be built, complaining that the existing building was used as a playground at weekends. By 1961 all plans for the relocation of the Collegiate appear to have finally been scrapped, though the headmaster repeatedly seemed hopeful that work on a new building was about to commence. In 1962, 'armorial bearings' were granted to the school by

9430-420: The skies, A mighty cradle of heroes. Knowledge spurs us on, Integrity inspires us, And not forgetting the achievements of our elders, No less vigorous a generation shall arise. Now let us remember and celebrate our patrons: Enriched by their generosity, Ennobled by their greatness, Let us give them honour. Yearly school plays, school concerts and exhibitions of work continued throughout

9545-594: The society and orchestra were granted "Royal" status and were authorised to include this word in their title. The following year the Queen became the patron of the orchestra. In 1958 the society instigated a competition for young conductors. The first winner was Zubin Mehta . Under Pritchard's successor the competition became a seminar for young conductors, in which participants included Andrew Davis , Mark Elder , John Eliot Gardiner , James Judd and Barry Wordsworth . Pritchard

9660-424: The society continued to be exclusive, there was criticism about the behaviour of its members during concerts. Performers who appeared during this time were Fritz Kreisler , and Rachmaninoff , the latter playing his Third Piano Concerto and conducting other works at a concert in 1911. After the resignation of Frederic Cowen, the society did not appoint another principal conductor until 1942. During this period

9775-410: The society during this time included Paderewski , Hubert Parry , Nellie Melba , and Clara Butt . In 1883 the secretary, Henry Sudlow, died; he was replaced by George Broadbent. The next principal conductor was Frederic Cowen who remained in post until 1913. During this time more Romantic music was played, including works by Elgar , and this was not always popular with the audiences. Although

9890-451: The society had joint principal conductors, John Pritchard and Efrem Kurtz . The latter resigned in 1957 and Pritchard continued as sole principal conductor until 1963. In August 1956, the orchestra, conducted by Basil Cameron, made its Prom debut with an all Beethoven programme, consisting of the Fidelio overture, the violin concerto with Campoli as soloist, and Symphony No.5. In 1957

10005-478: The society in 1856 were Jenny Lind , Clara Schumann and Charles Hallé. Dickens returned in 1858 and during that year the society was able to pay off the mortgage on the hall. By 1865 Hermann's health was deteriorating and a new principal conductor, Alfred Mellon, was appointed in September. Mellon died only 18 months later, and was replaced by Julius Benedict, who remained in post until 1880, when his eyesight

10120-487: The society organises more than 60 concerts of classical music played by the orchestra. It arranges other events in the hall, including performances of pop, rock, folk and jazz music and comedy shows. Films are shown on the Walturdaw screen (which rises from the stage on a counterbalance system), accompanied by Dave Nicholas, the resident cinema organist , prior to the screenings. The society also arranges concerts in

10235-440: The society was also entering a period of greater security with the appointment in 1987 of Libor Pešek as principal conductor. Pešek remained in post for ten years and during this time the standards and popularity of the orchestra improved. In Pešek's first season, the director of the society, Stephen Gray, retired after 23 years in the post. The occasion was marked by a concert at which Groves, Weller, Atherton, Janowski, Pešek and

10350-418: The tuck shop, school office, staff room, and an attempt to enter CCF armoury. A School Council was set up in 1970 to enable pupils to have a say in decision-making. From 1971, the school magazine Esmeduna would only be published once a year instead of twice, and school dinners adopted a cafeteria system to offer more choice. In June 1972, the Liverpool Education Committee banned all forms of corporal punishment in

10465-574: The turrets on top of the school were declared unsafe. In September 1982 the Liverpool Echo had run a story about future plans for the city's schools which suggested that the Collegiate might be closed, and in 1983 the city announced its plan to replace secondary schools with 'community schools'; the Collegiate would be closed and its pupils moved to Breckfield Community Comprehensive School. Plans for reorganisation were set but before formal closure could be effected, fate intervened. On Friday 8 March 1985

10580-484: Was W. T. Best . The hall was not full for the first performance; this was attributed to two factors, the high price of admission, and the fear that the building, without central supporting pillars, was unsafe. Problems soon arose. In 1850 the choir formed the Liverpool Philharmonic Auxiliary Society and were in conflict with their conductor. Herrmann offered his resignation, which

10695-655: Was Awarded Best Orchestral in the Gramophone Award 2009. and the Shostakovich Symphony No 10 received the same award in 2011. Petrenko has also recorded the Rachmaninov Symphonies and Piano Concertos with Simon Trpčeski and in 2017 completed a Tchaikovsky symphonies cycle achieving the 'Record of the Year 2017' award for the performance of the 1st, 2nd and 5th from 'BBC Music Magazine'. The British repertoire

10810-422: Was a European Capital of Culture and the society played a major role in the events performed as part of this celebration. In 2009, Petrenko's title was changed from principal conductor to chief conductor, and he extended his contract with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra until 2015. In July 2018, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra announced that Petrenko would conclude his chief conductorship at

10925-531: Was a champion of contemporary music and with the help of David Lloyd-Jones he introduced a series of concerts known as Musica Viva showcasing new compositions. During Pritchard's time, the society commissioned Walton to write his Second Symphony , which received its première at the Edinburgh Festival in 1960. Pritchard was succeeded by Charles Groves, who served as principal conductor for 14 years until he resigned in 1977. Groves helped to maintain

11040-584: Was a green and yellow Big Top tent situated on King's Dock in Liverpool. In 2005, the tent was moved to nearby Trafalgar Dock to make way for the construction of an Arena, ACC Liverpool on the King's Dock site. In 2007, the event moved to the pavilion at Aintree racecourse , and in 2008 the Pops moved to the Arena built on its former home on Kings Dock. A variety of acts are booked to perform each year, including Gloria Estefan ,

11155-600: Was also made, several of them receiving 'Best Recording in Category' of The Gramophone magazine's recommendations. Many of these recordings feature the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir. A complete cycle of all six symphonies by the Danish composer Carl Nielsen, in a new edition, has been released by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Douglas Bostock. Petrenko has recorded the complete Shostakovich symphonies. His recording of Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony and The Voyevoda

11270-641: Was an all-boys grammar school , later a comprehensive school , in the Everton area of Liverpool . The Collegiate is a striking, Grade II listed building , with a facade of pink Woolton sandstone, designed in Tudor Gothic style by the architect of the city's St. George's Hall , Harvey Lonsdale Elmes . The foundation stone was laid in 1840 and the Liverpool Collegiate Institution was opened by William Gladstone on 6 January 1843, originally as

11385-486: Was an essential morale-booster. He set up low-priced concerts for factory workers and members of the armed forces. The pre-war rule insisting that audiences wear formal evening dress was abolished. Webster recruited Malcolm Sargent as chief conductor; though not generally loved by orchestral players Sargent was immensely popular with the paying public. Guest conductors included Sir Henry Wood and Charles Münch . Wartime disbanding of other orchestras - most notably that of

11500-544: Was appointed headmaster. Crofts was a Quaker and pacifist, which may explain why he was not offered the headship in wartime, and although the author of the Collegiate School history, H. S. Corran, "presumes he did not approve of the Cadet Force", the headmaster's pragmatism, or his laissez-faire management style, enabled the school's CCF to continue unabated and, at a time when schools routinely used corporal punishment ,

11615-418: Was becoming more and more depressed, the Collegiate, regarded by some as a symbol of outmoded privilege, was becoming a political pawn in an increasingly political city. As O and A level results deteriorated, as well as growing apathy from parents and a falling register, there were also numerous break–ins and vandalising of the organ. The future of the school looked gloomy. In 1980 the O and A level results were

11730-536: Was choral music. The Liverpool Philharmonic Society was established on 10 January 1840 with the object of promoting "the Science and Practice of Music"; its orchestra consisted largely of amateur players. The society was the second of its kind to be established, the first being the London-based Royal Philharmonic Society whose orchestra was disbanded in 1932. The organisation was founded for

11845-420: Was completely closed up in 1987 and the building left to deteriorate. The empty shell of the school fell foul to looters and vandals. Two further fires, the last on 19 October 1994, gutted the dilapidated interior, and although a grant of £250,000 from Inner City Enterprises had been scheduled to repair the roof, the Collegiate now appeared impossible to save. The decaying Collegiate was a great embarrassment to

11960-512: Was created to give the RLPO somewhere to play in the summers of 1993–1995 while the Philharmonic Hall was being refurbished. The event proved popular and was continued, with artists other than the RLPO performing, but by 2001 the costs of running the event had become too much for the RLPS, so Liverpool City Council asked promoter CMP Entertainment to run the event. The original venue for the Summer Pops

12075-605: Was destroyed by fire. Concerts were mainly held in the Central Hall until a new hall could be built; larger scale works were performed in St George's Hall . Considerable discussion took place about the financing and the design of the new hall. It was decided that the society would pay for it without help from the City Corporation. Herbert J. Rowse was appointed as architect and he designed to hall in art deco style; it cost

12190-413: Was deteriorating. While Benedict was principal conductor, the society flourished both artistically and financially. This did not continue during the tenure of the next principal conductor, despite his later fame. Max Bruch was appointed on 23 February 1880 and served for less than three years. During this time he experienced conflict with the committee of the society and complained about the behaviour of

12305-490: Was discovered that William Sudlow, the Honorary Secretary had been stealing money from the society; an amount of more than £2,424 (£290,000 as of 2024) had been embezzled. Sudlow resigned from the society. He was replaced by a paid secretary; the post was given to Henry Sudlow, a distant relative of William. Henry was to serve the society for some 30 years with no similar problem. Prominent performers appearing for

12420-489: Was founded as the Merseyside Youth Orchestra in 1951. Its conductor for the first 22 years of its existence was William Jenkins. Since 2014 its Principal Conductor has been Simon Emery, director of music at the local Liverpool Blue Coat School . The first work to be performed by the orchestra was the overture to Mozart's The Magic Flute . The orchestra changed its name to the present one in 2006. Its patron

12535-429: Was given the title of conductor laureate. Petr Altrichter was the next chief conductor, from 1997 to 2001. Gerard Schwarz succeeded Altrichter, from 2001 to 2006. In 2006, Vasily Petrenko became chief conductor, at age 29 the youngest conductor to have held the post. Also in 2006 the society entered into a sponsorship agreement with the radio music station Classic FM . It was the station's first arts partner and

12650-467: Was later taken over by the society and has since been conducted by Clark Rundell , and has performed a large number of world premières. Royal Liverpool Philharmonic has been organising events aimed towards schools and the community since the 1940s, when Sargent introduced concerts for schools. These concerts still exist today, with the organisation hosting a series of 13 Schools’ Concerts every year which are attended by around 18000 young people from across

12765-688: Was named Young Artist of the Year. In 2009 the orchestra and Ensemble 10/10 were joint winners of the title Ensemble of the Year in the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards , with Ensemble 10/10 being the winners in the Concert Series of the Year category. The hall won the title of the Best Performing Venue in The Mersey Partnership Annual Tourism Awards in both 2006 and 2009. Each year

12880-489: Was named after the ancient Liverpool manor mentioned in the Domesday Book , a name which had evolved into 'Smethesdune' by 1288 and survives to this day as Smithdown Road. Although aspects of Collegiate School life such as the annual Prize Giving, Founders Day Service, the school motto in Latin, and Esmeduna, along with the majestic Shaw Street building itself, stem from Victorian times, many enduring traditions originated after

12995-434: Was not accepted. By 1852 the financial problems of the society were deteriorating. Membership was exclusive and not all the seats on offer had been taken up. Suggestions that the conditions for membership should be relaxed were refused. In 1852 the society widened its activities from music by arranging theatrical performances, including Charles Dickens ' company and an appearance by William Makepeace Thackeray . In 1855 it

13110-516: Was recalled on 21 August, the Declaration of War on Germany was announced on 3 September, and the evacuation of pupils began the same day. An article about the evacuation from the December 1939 edition of Esmeduna, describes a remarkably orderly and enjoyable move, "Few will forget that memorable journey with its queer fusion of unreality and vividness. With the courage and happy thoughtlessness of youth,

13225-491: Was surprised to witness corporal punishment being administered by Collegiate prefects. The prefectorial practice of 'slippering', whacking miscreants on the backside with a plimsoll shoe, would continue for two more decades. In 1959 the School Regulations were printed out and distributed for the first time. Initially this code of conduct included school uniform requirements, information about games, homework, school meals and

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