BPO Rehearsal Information
We usually rehearse on Tuesdays 7.30-9.30 pm (please note slightly earlier time than for previous concerts) and Sundays 2.30-5.00 pm with a 15 minute break, plus at 2.00 pm on the concert day at the concert venue. The rehearsal schedule is below. Rehearsals are for full orchestra unless otherwise specified. We have the hall booked for 30 minutes before the rehearsals to set up and 15 minutes afterwards to be out of the hall and the car park.
Please bring a music stand to rehearsals and to the concert.
Hard copies of the music (with string parts bowed) will be distributed at the first rehearsal for the relevant concert if not distributed beforehand. To prepare for the rehearsals you may however wish to download your part (where available and out of copyright) for free from www.imslp.org. This site has scores and separate instrumental parts for thousands of works though you do need to check on the site whether they are out of copyright in the UK (same rules as for the EU). Leonard Bernstein's marked scores and parts for many works are available for study on archives.nyphil.org. Can be useful for string fingerings.
The 2025/26 subscription for players is £30 per concert. No subscription is payable for those under 25, full-time students and those on benefits (we have a minimum age requirement of 18). For UK tax payers, subscriptions are eligible for GiftAid (please complete a GiftAid declaration for BPO if you haven't already done so and give it to our treasurer). New players do not pay for their first BPO concert.
Concert dress for all concerts unless otherwise specified is all black (no jackets or ties).
Saturday 7 February 2026
7.00 pm
Wessex Auditorium
Brentwood School
Middleton Hall Lane
Brentwood
Essex CM15 8EE
| Conductor | Florian Cooper |
| Violin | Kate Lai |
| Max Bruch | Scottish Fantasy. 2222;4230; Timp; Bass drum, Cymbals, Harp; Strings |
| Tchaikovsky | Symphony No 5. 3222;4231; Timp; Strings |
Rehearsals
Tuesday 13 January 2026 7.15-9.30pm Brentwood Preparatory School, Shenfield Road, Brentwood CM15 8BD (entrances to car parks from either by the Nuffield `Hospital or from Middleton Hall Lane), We recognise that not everyone will be able to get there to start at 7.15 but please get there as soon as you can so that we have actually started by 7.30. We will have the hall from 7.00pm.
Friday 30 January Evening 6.30-9.30pm Huddlestone Building, Brentwood School. It is number 16 on this map. Use car park no 3
https://www.brentwoodschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Open-Morning-Map-1.pdf
Saturday 31 January Huddlestone Building, Brentwood School. It is number 16 on thie above map. Use car park no 3
10.00am- 1.00pm Full and sectionals. Di Sewell will take the strings and Florian the wind sectionals.
2.00-5.00pm Full including full brass and percussion.
We hope to organise a social event afterwards.
Saturday 7 February 2.00 pm rehearsal (full orchestra) and 7.00 pm CONCERT Wessex Auditorium, Brentwood School. See no 34 on the map above. Use car park 1 or the spaces by building 19. Access is only from Middleton Hall Lane.
Saturday 16 May 2026
| Conductor | Julia Wilson-James |
| Programme to be confirmed | |
Tuesday 14 April
Sunday 19 April
Tuesday 21 April (Strings only)
Sunday 26 April (Strings only)
Tuesday 28 April
Tuesday 5 May
Sunday 10 May
Tuesday 12 May
Saturday 16 May 2.00 pm rehearsal and 7.00 pm CONCERT
