Gallery

In date order


1890
While still a schoolboy John Cope, founding conductor of the NSSO, showed musical talents which attracted the attention of Madame Marie Reymond, a music teacher, living in Burslem. She assisted him to study the organ under Rheinberger, in Munich. Here is his photo from that time in Germany. (togther with a modern AI animation which shows him singing!)





1906
The Potteries Orchestral Society, 1906, with John Cope



1930 May
In May 1930 Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd., the pottery manufacturing company, celebrated its bi-centenary with a magnificent Historical Pageant in Hanley Park. The NSSO accompanied the event with John Cope conducting. An official film was made of the pageant and here is part of it. You can clearly see Cope conducting, baton in hand, and some of the orchestra players in the foreground.

""The Pageant attempts to portray vividly with all the help of colour, spectacle, drama and music, the scenes of the glorious Past to the Present generation… Visitors from far and near will all be kindled with admiration and praise for the proud Heritage of the Potteries."" (from the original programme notes).

Many thanks go to Ray Johnson MBE of the Staffordshire Film Archive for making the extract from the film available.


Film of the NSSO at the Wedgwood Pageant in May 1930
Courtesy Ray Johnson MBE and the Staffordshire Film Archive


Souvenir Programme



1974
The orchestra plays in the Victoria Hall, Hanley Stoke-on-Trent, under their conductor, Alan Paynes.

All photos in this sequence courtesy Steve Boulton











1993 November
Tunstall Town Hall - NSSO plays on 20 November 1993



1998 December
Long service awards presented at the last rehearsal before Christmas.



1999
The Woolliscrofts - Eric on Timpani and Terry on Trumpet




2000 June
The North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra Millenium Concert
NSSO Millenium Concert 18 June 2000, Victoria Hall Hanley
  Bizet's Carmen at The Victoria Hall, Hanley, with guest choirs and Timothy Redmond conducting. more>


2001
Swiss born Baldur Bronnimann conducted the North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra for a number of concerts at the turn of the last century, between 1997 and 2001. Look where he is now! here>
North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra 2001 - with guest conductor Baldur Bronnimann
More about Baldur here> http://www.baldur.info/ 


2004
North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra 2004 - with conductor Peter Stallworthy


2005
North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra 2005
Centenary Concert Victoria Hall Hanley, and after show party


2007 September
North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra 2007


2013 June
NSSO  Wolstanton High School with Juan Ortuno conducting
Aaron Copland - Billy the Kid Ballet Suite
22 June 2013 

2017 November
NSSO Peter Stallworthy, Conductor and Paul Sellers, Chairman
11 Nov 2017 Conductor of the NSSO for over 16 years. Leaving concert.
Peter Stallworthy contributed significantly to the orchestra’s development.

2017 December
NSSO and the BBC Radio Stoke Christmas Concert
Kings hall, Stoke, December 2017
Image courtesy BBC Radio Stoke


2018 April
North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra 2018
21 April 2018 Cooperative Academy Tunstall
Conductor - Juan Ortuno
Photo: Terry Woolliscroft Collection


2018 November

NSSO 17 November 2018
Cooperative Academy Tunstall
Conductor Marco Bellasi, Piano Soloist Charlotte Dentan
Image courtesy Ray Johnson MBE

Piano Soloist Charlotte Dentan
Image courtesy Ray Johnson MBE

Piano Soloist Charlotte Dentan
Image courtesy Ray Johnson MBE

Piano Soloist Charlotte Dentan receives gift of pottery from NSSO
presented by Lord Mayor of  Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Lillian Dodd
and NSSO Chairman Paul Sellers
Image courtesy Ray Johnson MBE

NSSO 17 November 2018, Cooperative Academy Tunstall, 
Conductor Marco Bellasi, Piano Soloist Charlotte Dentan, 
Video courtesy Ray Johnson MBE

2022 January
22 January 2022 - at St. Thomas More Catholic Academy, Longton. Conductor Juan Ortuno, with Tuba Soloist, Ian Betteridge, playing "Pacific Concerto for Tuba" by Ian Rae (1946 - )

Ian Betteridge, Tuba Soloist
"Pacific Concerto for Tuba" - Ian Rae


Link to video of the Concerto here: