About Us
The Modern Day Orchestra
In 2014, Simon Gower was appointed Musical Director and Conductor to lead the way in transforming and rejuvenating the Orchestra for the modern-day era which is now known as the Eastbourne Concert Orchestra (ECO).
The Eastbourne Concert Orchestra performs three concerts with the Spring & Summer concerts being held at Eastbourne Town Hall, while the Winter concert is held at the beautiful venue of All Saints’ Church, Eastbourne.
Today, our members are a varied group of individuals, comprised of passionate musicians, who love to play music, while have fun and give back to our community by sharing our music via our performances and concerts.
Our
History
The Eastbourne Orchestral Society (EOS) was founded in 1951 by Captain Waterhouse, with the aim of bringing together musicians in
the area, amateur and other, who were keen to meet regularly to rehearse orchestral works.
This venture proved very successful and the Orchestra was soon large enough and had reached a sufficiently high standard for it to put on two or three public concerts a year. All concerts were being held mainly at the Winter Garden.
After the death of Captain Waterhouse in 1954, the conductorship of the Orchestra was taken over by Mrs D. Waterhouse, under whom it continued to enjoy wide popularity. Upon her retirement in 1969 she was succeeded by Mr Graham Albon and, when he stood down in 1980, the baton was taken up by Dr Bryn Bridges O.B.E. In 1985 the concerts were transferred to the Eastbourne Town Hall, where the Orchestra continued to flourish and enjoy the support of the public.
Dr Bryn Bridges retired from conducting the Orchestra in 2000, and continued as a playing member until 2006 and has now moved away from the area. The Society was then in the enviable position of having the opportunity to appoint two eminently suitable Associate Conductors who were, Brian Smith M.B.E. and Adrian Shepherd M.B.E.
Our Committee
MEET THE TEAM
The ECO Committee team looks after the running of the orchestra, below are our current committee members. For any questions or enquiries, please send us a message via the Get in Touch form.
Dr. John Caroe
CHAIRMAN
Kathryn Anderson
Friends’ Secretary & Librarian
Simon Gower
Musical Director & Conductor
Arron Polton
Marketing Officer
Simon Smith
Orchestral Leader
Steph Bond
Refreshment Officer
Julian Baker
Treasurer
Jan Townsend
Social Officer
Liz Bux
Secretary
Ruth Bosworth
Librarian