Members’ Page

This page contains info for Orchestra Members only.  If you are not a member, we suggest looking at the Home Page or our History and Gallery pages for info for you

Spring 2026 Programme (updated 08/12/2025)

Our Spring 2026 concert will be on 28th March 2026 at St Mark’s Church, Woodthorpe, Nottingham, NG5 4PH

The programme will be as follows:

  • Oliver Thomas, Symphony No. 1 (1st and 3rd movements) (3333 – 4331 – timps+? – harp – strings) Audio Files: I Allegro – March and III Molto Vivace – Scherzo (abridged)
  • Coleridge-Taylor, Petite Suite Du Concert 3222 – 4230 – timps+3 – strings YouTube (with Piano Conductor score) IMSLP
  • McCunn, The Land of the Mountain and the Flood (2222 – 2231 – timps+1 – strings) YouTube (with score) IMSLP
  • Brahms, Double Concerto for Violin and Cello (with Izzy Howard and Danushka Edirisinghe) (2222 – 4200 – timps – strings) YouTube (with score) IMSLP

Rehearsals and Key Dates (updated 16/01/2026)

Rehearsal dates and schedule are as follows:

  • January 12th – Coleridge-Taylor (1, 2, 4, 3), Brahms
  • January 19th – Oliver Thomas, MacCunn
  • January 26th – [Junior School] Brahms only
  • February 2nd – [Junior School] Coleridge-Taylor (1, 2, 4), MacCunn
  • February 9th – Brahms, Coleridge-Taylor (3)
  • February 16th – Oliver Thomas, MacCunn
  • February 23rd – Coleridge-Taylor (1, 2, 4), MacCunn
  • March 2nd – Sectionals
  • March 9th – Brahms, Coleridge-Taylor (3)
  • March 16th – Coleridge-Taylor (1, 2, 4, 3), Oliver Thomas
  • March 23rd – schedule tbc
  • March 27th (Friday) – schedule tbc
  • March 28th – Concert Day, St. Marks Woodthorpe
    • 2.00 – 4.30 –
    • 7.30 – Concert

Note: First rehearsal of summer term will be Monday 13th April, 2026

Future Rehearsal and Dates for 2026 and 2027

Click here for one page overview of Rehearsals and Notable Dates 2026 (pdf doc)

Click here for one page overview of Rehearsals and Notable Dates 2027 (pdf doc)

Future Concert Dates (Updated 16/01/2026)

Dates for concerts for 2026 are listed below (Programmes and venues yet to be finalised):

2026 Concert Dates

  • March 28th 2026
  • July 11th 2026
  • December 5th 2026
  • March 20th 2027
  • July 17th 2027
  • December 4th 2027

Rehearsals Procedures (Updated 22/10/22)

Rehearsals are held in the Theatre building at the Sherwood Rise site of the Djanogly Learning Trust, NG7 7AR (See map) on Monday evenings from 7.00 to 9.15.  We have a break at ‘half time’ to rest and to socialise, to which you may bring your own refreshments. Biscuits are available.

  • Members are asked to stay away if they feel unwell (whether Covid-related or not).
  • Strings who wish to sit singly rather than at ‘desks’ need their own stand and music
  • Wind players should bring a means of collecting drips.
  • Our latest risk assessment (which covers general risks as well as Covid) is Here.
  • Our current Safeguarding policy is Here.

Membership and Subs (updated 12/11/23)

If you are not a member but interested in joining the Orchestra, please see info on the Home page.

Members need to be able to come to rehearsals regularly – as frequent gaps make it less enjoyable for other players.

Subs should be paid by standing order – either annually in January;  or quarterly in November, February, May and August (please contact the treasurer, Jess Mesrati, for standing order information).   Subs are currently £120 per year. There is one exception – full-time students are free (so don’t forget to tell Jess if you are a student!).

Organisation

  • Our orchestra is a registered charity (Charity No. 1084053).
  • Our structure is defined in the DCO constitution. 
  • Management and planning is through our committee.
  • Minutes of committee meetings and AGMs are available to all members Here 
  • Each member of the committee has specific roles, as shown below.
Chairperson: Roger Kilby.
Roger joined the orchestra in the mid-nineties as a violin player and he has thoroughly enjoyed both the friendly atmosphere and the opportunity to tackle some genuinely challenging pieces of music. He served as treasurer of the orchestra for 22 years and is honoured to become the fifth chairperson of the orchestra. He started to learn the violin at the age of twelve when his school offered free violin lessons – his parents scraped together the £15 needed (12 years pocket money back then!) to buy a decent violin and he has never looked back since. Roger plays in a number of groups across the city as well as singing in a choir.
 
ID: Jess Mesrati
Treasurer: Jess Mesrati. 
Music has always been a huge part of Jess’s life, starting with school bands and continuing through various groups ever since. She absolutely loves being part of the Djanogly Community Orchestra, which she joined in 2022, and you can usually find her bouncing between the flute and percussion sections. Jess is excited and honoured to be joining the committee for the Djanogly Community Orchestra as its new Treasurer this year.
 
ID: Jane Sherratt
 Secretary and Website Manager: Jane Sherratt.
Jane joined the committee in 2024. She plays in the 1st violin section and joined the orchestra in January 2023. She thoroughly enjoys the challenges, opportunities and rewards that playing in this orchestra provide.
 
 
 
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Djanogly Learning Trust Liaison and Concert Programmes: Laura Ewart.
Laura is a member of the trumpet section of the orchestra. Her role on the committee are to write and produce the programmes for all of our concerts. She also works at the Djanogly Learning Trust which helps us enormously in the liaison and organisation of concerts and rehearsals.
 
 
 
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Concert Activities Manager: Robyn Scott-Chaplin.
Robyn joined the orchestra committee in 2015 where her remit is to Manage activities for each concert. She joined the Orchestra in 2000 as a very new percussionist, and is now our chief timpanist. She only became a committee member after cutting down on her day job, and loves to hear how music is created in front of our ears – just like magic!
 
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 Librarian and Concert Venue Liaison: Emma Grishin.
Emma (who plays flute)  is our Librarian.  She hires or buys the music we need for our rehearsals and concerts, distributing it to players, and collecting it up and returning it after the concert. Emma also liaises with our concert venues.
 
 

Other Roles

 
Leader: Becky Cross.
I started playing the violin when I was 6 and joined Djanogly in 2006 after finishing my music degree at Nottingham University. I have been in orchestras since I was 10. I also play the clarinet and piano and when I’m not doing something musical I enjoy being out in the countryside and looking after my 3 children! Djanogly is a friendly and supportive orchestra where we get to learn and perform some great music together.
 
 
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Membership Secretary: Fran Rholden.
Fran became our membership secretary in September 2021.  She plays at the back of the viola section, where she enjoys sitting right in the middle of the orchestra. It’s the best spot for listening to the orchestra, feeling part of the music making at Djanogly.