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Marc Dooley

@marcdooley.bsky.social

Still working it out.

70 Posts196 Follower535 Folgt
Marc Dooley@marcdooley.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Last night with @fso.org.uk we premiered a seriously beautiful new orchestral opener (7 mins) by Edward Nesbit; ‘Consolation and Joy’. Easy to programme, rewarding to play, a hit with the audience, it deserves lots of future performances.

Poster for Fulham Symphony Orchestra concert 20 June 2026.
Marc Dooley@marcdooley.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Close encounter with Dorking’s (apparently famous) white squirrel yesterday. Cute, but inept, it fell out of the tree one second after I took this photo and narrowly avoided landing on my head.

Albino squirrel eating a nut in a tree.
Marc Dooley@marcdooley.bsky.social · 2y ago

This concert has officially sold out, but we’re working with the hall to increase capacity. Note to orchestras… Demessieux sells!

Fulham Symphony Orchestra@fso.org.uk · 2y ago

Book now for our concert on 22 March 2025 at Smith Square Hall. fso.org.uk/spring-2025/ A rare chance to hear Tchaikovsky’s great Manfred Symphony, Jeanne Demessieux’s exuberant Poème for organ and orchestra, and Janáček’s Taras Bulba, an orchestral rhapsody inspired by a Cossack hero.

Fulham Symphony Orchestra – 22 March 2025 - Leoš Janáček – Taras Bulba, Jeanne Demessieux – Poème, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Manfred Symphony. Marc Dooley conductor Tom Evans leader Hannah Gill organ. 22 March 2025 7.30pm, Smith Square Hall
Fulham Symphony Orchestra@fso.org.uk · 2y ago

Book now for our concert on 22 March 2025 at Smith Square Hall. fso.org.uk/spring-2025/ A rare chance to hear Tchaikovsky’s great Manfred Symphony, Jeanne Demessieux’s exuberant Poème for organ and orchestra, and Janáček’s Taras Bulba, an orchestral rhapsody inspired by a Cossack hero.

Fulham Symphony Orchestra – 22 March 2025 - Leoš Janáček – Taras Bulba, Jeanne Demessieux – Poème, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Manfred Symphony. Marc Dooley conductor Tom Evans leader Hannah Gill organ. 22 March 2025 7.30pm, Smith Square HallA rare chance to hear Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony, his most ambitious symphonic work, which explores the extreme drama of Byron’s poem of the same name. Jeanne Demessieux was a celebrated virtuoso organist and a child prodigy. The exuberant Poème for organ and orchestra was one of her few orchestral compositions. Written during World War I and inspired by the story of a Cossack hero, Leoš Janáček’s Taras Bulba combines poignantly beautiful folk-like themes with the composer’s distinctive and unconventional orchestration. Born in Wales, Hannah Gill was awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and was a concerto finalist in the Texaco Young Musician of Wales. She has conducted and accompanied prize-winning choirs at both National and International Eisteddfod competitions. Previously the Organ Scholar at the Southbank Centre, she is now Organist at St Nicholas’ Church in Harpenden. She is an Associate of the Royal College of Organists and Co-Chair of the Society of Women Organists. Leoš Janáček – Taras Bulba Jeanne Demessieux – Poème Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Manfred Symphony Marc Dooley conductor Tom Evans leader Hannah Gill organ 7.30pm, Smith Square Hall, London SW1P 3HF Tickets £14, concessions £12, under-16s £9. Booking fees apply.
Fulham Symphony Orchestra@fso.org.uk · 2y ago

We’re delighted to have organ soloist Hannah Gill performing with us on 22 March at Smith Square Hall. Born in Wales, Hannah was awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and was a concerto finalist in the Texaco Young Musician of Wales....

Hannah Gill
Marc Dooley@marcdooley.bsky.social · 2y ago

‘…six out of 10 arts and culture workers in the UK come from middle-class backgrounds’… as of now the Arts Council’s own jobs board coincidentally lists 573/966 jobs (60%) as paid under £30k. 40% are <£25k (living wage = £24,570 or £27k in London). www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...

Arts sector’s use of unpaid interns for some roles could be illegal, experts say

Concerns also raised that practice prevents young working-class people from finding paid work in creative industries

theguardian.com

Marc Dooley@marcdooley.bsky.social · 2y ago

It has been an incredibly painful time for everyone in @fso.org.uk community. Steve was a great musician, a very close friend, and we were so lucky to have him in the orchestra. He has left us far, far too early. Please consider a donation to www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer...

Getting diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer

You usually start by seeing your GP. They might refer you to a specialist doctor and organise tests.

cancerresearchuk.org

Fulham Symphony Orchestra@fso.org.uk · 2y ago

We have been devastated by the untimely death of our principal trumpet Steve Hicks. His glorious playing, enormous personality and total confidence inspired us all. We have not the words to describe our sense of loss, but all our love is with his wife Andrea and family.

Steve Hicks
Anne Midgette@classicalbeat.bsky.social · 2y ago

A devastating piece of #MeToo journalism -- by a college student, no less. Brava to her. Read it and weep. thebarbedwire.com/2025/02/05/h...

Houston’s Top Horn Musician Allegedly Harassed Rice Students for Decades. And the School Knew. - The Barbed Wire

EXCLUSIVE This story has been published in collaboration with the editorially independent student newspaper The Rice Thresher, where the author Riya Misra is editor in chief.  This story contains desc...

thebarbedwire.com

Mick Dore@14thefrog.bsky.social · 2y ago

Don't be alone in London on Christmas day. Come to us at the Alexandra in Wimbledon SW19. If you're on your own we'll give you some free Christmas turkey, booze & love. Seriously, it's FREE. 161 came last year, come & join us.

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Ed Newton-Rex@ednewtonrex.bsky.social · 2y ago

Today, the UK government announced a proposal to change copyright law - for the benefit of AI companies - that would cause huge, irreversible harm to creators. More info below, but most importantly here's what you can do (wherever you live): 1. Email your MP. Template letter in 🧵 👇 1/10

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Marc Dooley@marcdooley.bsky.social · 2y ago

Love this find from @fso.org.uk sleuth @gavincompton.bsky.social which illuminates early days of the orchestra and the civic priority placed on UK community music making in mid–late 20thC. Also wish I could go by name of Siegfried de Chabôt. Would be fascinated if anyone knows more about him.

Fulham Symphony Orchestra@fso.org.uk · 2y ago

We’ve made a fascinating discovery in the archives: newspaper cuttings announcing our very first concert in 1958! We knew very little about our early years, so these have thrown up some surprises… 🧵

Newspaper cuttings
Fulham Symphony Orchestra@fso.org.uk · 2y ago

Hello, BlueSky! 👋 We’re a big, ambitious amateur symphony orchestra based in west London. Our last concert featured birdsong in Rautavaara’s ‘Cantus Arcticus’, Lutosławski’s dazzling Fourth Symphony, the folk-inspired ‘Suita Rustica’ by Kaprálová, and Martinů’s big-hearted Fourth Symphony.

Orchestra rehearsal Viola players Concert flyer
Contemporary Music for All@comanewmusic.bsky.social · 2y ago

Hello Bluesky community! We're CoMA, a UK-based charity founded in 1993 with the aim of making contemporary music accessible to all. We run contemporary music ensembles throughout the UK, plus workshops and residencies, with an expanding international programme. (1/2)

A group of musicians playing in a large indoor space. A tuba player with blue hair and a cellist with pink & brown hair are in the foreground, both wearing black clothes. A trombonist wearing a yellow jacket is more in the background. Everyone looks as though they're concentrating on the music.