10th Music Festival Anniversary Concert 1976

Images and text courtesy David Yates

May 15, 1976

In 1976, the society celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the Rolleston Music Festivals with a special concert in the Priory Church of St. Mary in Tutbury. The society was fortunate in securing the return of the Handelian Orchestra which was formed in 1968 to accompany oratorio performances, and it contained many well-known Midland’s musicians. The leader, Bella Holt was for many years a permanent member of the BBC Midland Orchestra. On the Orchestra’s first visit to the Rolleston Festival in 1972, it was conducted by Harold Gray who was the associate conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.