Mr Vivian Pape formed an orchestral group in the early 1960's
which practised in the old Town Street School in Sandiacre.

The group consisted of young people of school age
together with a number of adults.

In order to cause minimum disruption to school work, rehearsals were held on Friday evenings and the group operated as an evening class.

In the middle 60's the group moved to one of the prefabricated buildings on the Sandiacre Friesland School Campus.

Concerts were performed at a number of venues to the benefit of local charitable organisations.

The group (now referred to as an orchestra) continued for many years under Mr. Pape and when he sadly died in 1984, Mr Mason Thompson took over the leadership.

The orchestra continued to perform at various venus, including Sawley Parish Church.
St. Helens Church Stapleford.
Sawley Baptist Church.
St Johns Church. Canal Street. Long Eaton.
Long Eaton Lower School.
and Brackenfield School, Long Eaton.

In 1988 the orchestra became an independent group linked to the Derbyshire Community Education Council and adopted the name :-

Friesland Orchestral Society

In 2001 the orchestra was informed that the prefabricated building in which we rehearsed had been declared unsafe so a further move was necessary.
By this time the orchestra being completely independent found a rehearsal room at the Parklands Connexion, Stanhope Street,
Long Eaton, the rental of which was nearly three times more than previously.
We needed a room so we had to take it.
We started there in January 2002.

The governors at Friesland kindly loaned the piano which we had used on their premises, so this was moved to Parklands.

Recently we were told that Parklands was to be sold, so once again we were faced with an expensive move, and in the summer of 2003 we moved to Brackenfield School in Long Eaton.
As there was a piano available at the school the loaned piano was returned to Friesland School (incurring further expense).

The various moves have caused a few problems, the main one being financial but we are meeting that problem with a hope that additional advertising will result in an intake of new members.
We continue to advertise for appropriate instrumentalists to come and join us to make more effective presentations.

For further information , ring:-
Ivan Jacklin on 0115 9734918
or: Mason Thompson (Conductor) on 0115 9733660