About Us

The Haffner Orchestra is Lancaster's regular orchestra for professionals or well-qualified amateur musicians.

Interested in playing with us?

Contact the Secretary, Roger Dillon:
haffnersec@haffnerorchestra.org
Telephone 01524 770029.
Membership is by invitation, and auditions are held. Rehearsals are held in Lancaster from 7:30pm to 9:45pm on five Mondays preceding each concert and the Friday before the concert (the latter usually with the soloist). There is a rehearsal on the day of the concert from 2pm to 5pm. Members pay an annual subscription (students are exempt).

We currently have around 50 members. The orchestra is a regular contributor to the musical life of the city, giving three concerts each year. They normally take place in November, February and June and pre-concert talks are usually given. Workshops and other activities are occasionally organised, and sometimes we perform concerts elsewhere.

In 2004 we welcomed our current Musical Director, Natalia Luis-Bassa. Originally from Venezuela, Natalia's passion for music is stimulating and exciting for both players and audience. Our President is Raphael Wallfisch, the internationally recognised cellist. Well known artists and visiting conductors have joined us over the years: Sir Charles Groves, Arthur Butterworth, Wyn Davies, Janet Hilton, Anna Markland, Andrew West, Linda Kitchen, Craig Ogden, Yonty Solomon and Leland Chen, among many others.

We organise annual fundraising events and social activities for members, which include walks and social weekends.

History of the orchestra

In the early 1970s, there was no regular local orchestra in Lancaster. Individual instrumental players were invited to accompany choral concerts, but had to look to Kendal for involvement in orchestral music. It was Kenneth Oates who saw the potential for drawing these players together to form an orchestra. With the support of other local musicians, a chamber orchestra emerged, conducted by Gerard Doyle and led by Wendy Cann, and taking the name "Haffner" from one of Mozart's patrons in Salzburg.

The Haffner Orchestra gave its first concert in March 1976. Since then the orchestra has earned the respect and attracted the support of many well-known professional musicians, including Sir Charles Groves, who was the orchestra's first President and conducted the Haffner Orchestra at its 10th anniversary concert. After his death, the Presidency was taken up by Raphael Wallfisch, a world renowned cellist who has also performed as soloist with the orchestra, notably at our 25th anniversary concert. The position of Musical Director has been held by Gerard Doyle, Tim Carter, Denis McCaldin, Roger Cann, and, since 2004, Natalia Luis-Bassa.

Back to top  |  Site design by Andrew McCafferty