It’s 1970 at the Portsmouth School of Art in England. There’s a flyer advertising a really unusual orchestra and inviting people to play. The entrance requirement? Players had to be either non-musicians, or if a musician, play an instrument that was entirely new to them. What started as a one-off, tongue-in-cheek performance art ensemble became a cultural phenomenon over the following ten years with concerts having a profound effect on thousands of concert goers throughout the community. As word of the Portsmouth Sinfonia grew in popularity, the comedic aspects brought international fame to the group resulting in concerts with thousands of tickets being sold, albums produced and even being featured on Monty Python’s CD, Dead Parrot Society. In 2015, taking a cue from the Fox Valley Symphony’s mission, The Fox Valley Sinfonia aims to bring educational opportunities that enhance the cultural development of our community in the spirit of the original Portsmouth Sinfonia. For our event, an orchestra of well-known community leaders and businesses have joined together from all over the Fox Cities Area to take part in this truly unique, and personal musical experience. You will hear their stories as they pick up an orchestral instrument for the first time in order to perform at the first Fox Valley Sinfonia concert.
