Newcastle Technical College Orchestra 1953
Deck the halls with boughs of holly….
Newcastle Technical College had a wonderful Orchestra as seen practicing in this photograph from 1953. The Orchestra performed Christmas concerts as well as many other performances over the years. They performed at many locations across the Hunter including City Hall, Wesley Hall, and the Sunken garden of the Engineering Building at Cessnock College to name just a few. Proceeds from the concerts went towards the cost of uniforms, backdrops and of importing the musical scores from England that had previously been unavailable in Australia. In 1947 they moved their headquarters from Tighes Hill to the Hunter Street Branch of the College, using the room that was previously a museum as it provided greater acoustic properties.
If anyone has any interesting information about the Orchestra that they would like to share please post a comment or email us via the Hunter TAFE Historical Libguide.
My father, W.J. (Bill) Evans was the founder and conductor of the orchestra. My mother was the pianist and my uncle Alwyn played the trumpet (right side of the picture). I remember many times being taken to the practices and remember the original Tighes Hill hall and the transfer to the upstairs room in Hunter Street. Later I joined the orchestra as a violinist. I remember the many concerts performed, the proceeds sometimes went to charity.
The orchestra entertained the crowds who gathered at Tighes Hill campus when the Queen’s vehicle came through the main road to greet the crowds in the 1950’s. The orchestra also went to charity places to entertain freely. Happy memories of a wonderful and talented man in Bill Evans.