Express & Star

The Rusty Players Orchestra will kick off Christmas with a festive Wolverhampton concert

The foot-tapping magic of Christmas will be getting concert goers on their feet in Wolverhampton this festive season.

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The Rusty Players Orchestra is coming to Wolverhampton
The Rusty Players Orchestra and The People's Orchestra combined for a Halloween concert

The Rusty Players Orchestra is holding its Christmas concert at Newhampton Arts Centre on Sunday, December 8.

The orchestra's south Birmingham and Black Country incarnation are preparing for a night of festive fun. Founded to get lapsed musicians back into the groove, the Rusty Players Orchestra now boasts four ensembles across England and Wales.

Orchestra and band manager Amy Marshall said: "Christmas is coming to the Black Country so come and celebrate the spirit of the season with The Rusty Players Orchestra South Birmingham and Black Country. 

"Join us and experience the magic of Tchaikovsky’s with a twist, alongside the electrifying energy of rock n' pop legends like Queen, Fleetwood Mac and ABBA!  Our Rustys will take you on a journey through time, showcasing the enduring power of great music through the ages." 

The concert is at Newhampton Arts Centre, Dunkley Street, on Sunday, December 8 at 7pm. Tickets are already on sale and can be found here. https://bit.ly/4gIt0rD.

The Rusty Players Orchestra is an off shoot of The People's Orchestra and has proved popular since its inception in 2019.

Amy said: "The Rusty Player’s Orchestra was a spark of an idea that has caught fire over the past five years. Set up to reignite musical passion in those who hadn’t picked up an instrument in a while, it started out as one group in Birmingham. 

The Rusty Players Orchestra is coming to Wolverhampton
The Rusty Players Orchestra is coming to Wolverhampton

"Urging those who had strayed away from their musical pastime to dig out their instruments once more, word of mouth saw it attract people from all walks of life and ages. With more and more rusty musicians keen to join from far and wide, the orchestras expanded to include even more areas."

She added: "So much so, that its success has spawned four ensembles running across England and Wales, in Black Country, South Birmingham, Barry Island and Carmarthen."

The orchestra includes a variety of talents including Great Barr musician Julian Powell who is a renowned percussionist and presents his own weekly radio show Random Acts of Kindness on Brum Radio. 

He told the Express & Star: "The Christmas concerts are always special and will be a great way for people to get in the festive spirit as well as hearing fantastic live music."

Renowned percussionist Julian Powell
Renowned percussionist Julian Powell
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