Coffee & a Chat: Leslie Olive

Coffee & a Chat

A passion for sharing great music with everyone, led professional musician and conductor Leslie Olive to establish the Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra.

Leslie Olive has worked as a professional musician and conductor with some of the country’s most prestigious orchestras and choirs.

But it was a move to Suffolk in 2000 that eventually led Leslie to add the title of orchestra founder to his belt.

‘I’d been in Suffolk for about 12 years when I had the idea of creating a fully professional orchestra for the county,’ says Leslie. ‘I discussed the idea with the incredibly talented violinist Julian Milone who later called me to say he had a group of musicians interested in joining. At the time the brilliant concert venue, The Apex In Bury St Edmunds had just opened and it felt like all the pieces were falling into place.’

The Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra’s first concert took place in St Edmundsbury Cathedral as part of the Bury Festival in May 2012.

‘I was thrilled to have been able to assemble an orchestra of topquality professional players used to performing in famous venues all over the world,’ says Leslie. ‘A nucleus of our players live in Suffolk and take delight in sharing their gifts on their home turf. Others are individually selected to join them, creating a professional orchestra for Suffolk which equals the playing calibre you would otherwise expect to hear only in major metropolitan centres like London.’

Roughly six times a year, the orchestra gives regular, full-scale programmes of symphony concerts at major venues across the county including The Apex in Bury St Edmunds, the Ipswich Corn Exchange and Snape Maltings.

They will be holding their welcome back concert at The Apex on October 9th. It is an all Mozart concert (Symphony No.40, Exsultate Jubilate, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and Horn Concerto No.4) featuring talented Ben Goldscheider on horn alongside talented soprano Jane Burnell. ‘We are thrilled to be back performing,’ says Leslie. ‘We are also holding a reception after the concert so people have the opportunity to meet the stars.’

Leslie’s passion for sharing live music with everyone also led to a desire to perform not only in these grand spaces but in smaller venues across the county’s villages.

‘I was out walking my dog one day in my local village when I walked past the village hall and it got me thinking,’ says Leslie. ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing if people had the chance to listen to live music right on their doorstep?’

And so the idea of the SFO’s Community Concerts was born. The concerts are free and provide people with an hour of top quality music, lunch or tea and even a lift to the venue if needed.

‘We hold the concerts at lunchtime and make them as accessible as possible,’ says Leslie. ‘Since that first one in 2012, we’ve performed more than 30 all over Suffolk and have big plans for more. We’ve also partnered with fantastic charity the Rural Coffee Caravan who often provide free hot drinks at the concerts.’

The SPO also go into schools across the county and work with young musicians.

‘Sometimes our players coach students preparing for exams or hold workshops with children learning instruments,’ says Leslie. ‘They can sit in with players in their existing orchestra to inspire and encourage or, in some cases, give relaxed, friendly performances in front of the whole school. Our flexibility means we can deliver what would be more helpful to the young people in question. I’m so proud that the power of orchestral music is helping to change lives in Suffolk.’ www.suffolkphil.org