Free concert provided for Reading station customers
Schumann at the Station
Reading’s Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra (APO) stepped out from the comfort of the concert hall to present a free public event at Reading station on Saturday afternoon, 22 July.
The Route to the River: Schumann at the Station event saw performances of two Schumann symphonies, conducted in part by Great Western Railway (GWR) employee and APO Musical Director Andrew Taylor, alongside the world premieres of two commissions by young composers - including one of the winners of the recent Reading Cultural Awards, Alice Knight.
Reading Borough Council Deputy Leader Councillor Tony Page, said:
“I am delighted that GWR is supporting the Aldworth Philharmonic as part of this year’s Reading on Thames Festival and the Reading Fringe Festival. It is a first for Reading Station as well as a very original location for a concert.
“I am delighted to be able to participate in the event and wish one of our local amateur orchestras every success for the day.”
The event is part of Reading Business Improvement District’s ARENA 2017 programme of free town centre events and the Reading Fringe Festival.
Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra’s Chair Emily Bushby said:
“We were already planning to take part in the Reading Fringe Festival’s celebration of the 70th anniversary of Reading’s twinning with Düsseldorf by playing a Schumann symphony at Reading station, but thanks to funding from Reading BID to be part of the ARENA 2017 programme, we’ve been able to hire seating for the orchestra and put on a longer event, as well as commissioning two new pieces by talented young composers from the Reading area.
“These short pieces are inspired by the River Thames. By performing at the north end of the station transfer deck, we want to draw attention to how close the river is to Reading town centre ahead of the inaugural Reading on Thames Festival”
The event was supported by Network Rail and GWR, who will allow members of the public through the ticket barriers at the station to access the event.
Notes to editors
Great Western Railway (GWR) provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services. We help over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year - across South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, and large parts of Southern England.
We’re currently seeing the biggest investment in the network since Brunel so we can offer more trains, more seats, and shorter, more frequent journeys and continue the network’s heritage of helping connect more businesses to new and prosperous markets. Through a series of initiatives we aim to be a good neighbour to the communities we serve and are committed to making a positive social impact in those regions. Learn how we're Building a Greater West at GWR.com. GWR is a FirstGroup company.