Basingstoke Symphony Orchestra celebrates 95th anniversary with 'magical' outdoor concert!

Basingstoke Symphony Orchestra has celebrated its 95th anniversary with one of its 'finest performances to date.'

The Basingstoke Symphony Orchestra (BSO) marked the milestone with an open-air concert at The Vyne on Saturday, June 21.

Set against Vyne House and its lake, the sold-out concert formed part of the Basingstoke Festival and drew a crowd of 800, including the mayor and council leader of Basingstoke and Deane.

Chairman of the BSO, Ann Henshaw, said: "We were overwhelmed with the support and atmosphere at the concert. Everyone was having such a good time. It was a pleasure to walk around and chat to the audience during the interval.

"Nights like this showcase everything that is good about living and working in Basingstoke."

The programme featured audience favourites, including Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, which was performed as swans glided across the lake.

The orchestra also honoured Jane Austen, who was known to have visited The Vyne, with a performance of Carl Davis’s Theme from Pride and Prejudice in celebration of her 250th anniversary.

The lawn was filled with guests arriving early with picnics and chairs, ready to enjoy an evening of classical music.

The night ended with a rousing rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ to mark both BSO’s 95th anniversary and Austen’s milestone year.

As the interval approached, a rainbow appeared over the house, adding to the magic of the evening.

A surprise ‘Happy Birthday’ was played at the final rehearsal for the chairman’s young grandson, who was celebrating his birthday the following day.

Staff and volunteers from The Vyne managed the event, and Basingstoke Camera Club captured the evening in photographs.

Other contributors included Rag Box Clothing, which produced colourful anniversary T-shirts, Medstead Marques who supplied marquees, Rise Audio for sound engineering, and a local filmmaker who is creating an anniversary video.

The orchestra is now preparing to return to The Anvil for its next season.

Many guests have already asked whether another open-air concert might be planned for the future, and the orchestra has said it is certainly considering the idea.