If you are an avid classical music fan and keen to find out more about concerts in Lancaster and North Lancashire, you might want to check out the Haffner Orchestra.
Lancaster House Hotel has sponsored the Haffner Orchestra’s latest sell-out concert in the Great Hall at Lancaster University.
The hotel is right next door to the university campus. So we are always looking for opportunities to work together, support each other and help promote the City of Lancaster.
And of course Lancaster House is a great place to stay when attending a concert in North Lancashire. The venue is also within easy driving distance for live music in Blackpool and concerts in the Lake District.
A capacity audience was treated to a spectacular evening of musical entertainment with a concert performance of Donizetti’s opera Don Pasquale.
To set the scene, the Lancaster House Hotel team hosted an intimate gathering with pre-concert drinks and canapes at the venue.
Prior to the start of the Lancaster University concert, Alex Robinson, Haffner Orchestra musical director and conductor on the night, delivered an insightful talk.
Lead soloists for the performance were Alex Jones as Don Pasquale, Daniella Sicari, Jack Dolan, Simon Wallfisch and Henry Page. They were supported by highly experienced chamber musician and orchestra leader Julian Cann and members of the Furness Bach Choir.
Lancaster House is continuing to support the Haffner Orchestra with sponsorship for two further concerts in March and June 2025.
The first features soloist Callum McLachlan, with Julian Cann again orchestra leader, plus performances of Mozart’s Piano Concerto in D Minor and Shostakovich’s Symphony No 5.
June sees soloist Sophie Rosa leading the way, as well as renditions of Ingrid Stolzel’s 'City Beautiful', Barber’s Violin Concerto and Dvorak’s New World Symphony.
The Haffner Orchestra has a proud history as the City of Lancaster’s symphony orchestra. Established in 1976, it consists of a host of amateur and local professionals who come together for three official concerts each year.
The orchestra’s talented musicians and polished direction allows it to deliver an array of well-known music pieces, from classical and baroque periods to more contemporary commissions.
Occasional community performances are also highly valued by the orchestra team. As part of the Lancaster Music Festival, Festa Italia’ and ‘Light up Lancaster’ events, it has played in the city’s market square, Marketgate and St Nicholas’ Arcade. Smaller groups of its musicians will thrill more intimate audiences in pubs and other venues too.
The Haffner Orchestra also offers workshops, masterclasses and one-off concerts to encourage greater musical education for the local Lancaster community.
For further information about the Haffner Orchestra and classical music concerts in Lancaster, visit www.haffnerorchestra.org