Page 68 - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Coverage Book 2023-24

Designed by renowned Liverpool architect Herbert Rowse, the hall stands on
the same site as the original venue before it was destroyed by a fire in 1933.

The new building was opened in 1939 and the Liverpool Philharmonic

Hall today remains home to the award-winning Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Orchestra, the UK’s oldest continuing professional symphony orchestra.

Four long-standing musicians - Rob Shepley, Richard Wallace, Alexander

Marks and Jonathan Small - are retiring from the Orchestra this year and
together, they have a combined total of over 160 years performing with the

Orchestra. As part of the Liverpool ECHO's How It Used To Be series, we

spoke to the musicians about their memories with the Orchestra and how life
has changed at the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic through the decades.

Jonathan Small joined the Orchestra on April 2, 1984, as Principal Oboe. He

told the ECHO: "The back of the building was a kitchen equipment supply
building when we arrived. Our changing room was a basement cave

downstairs, there were a dozen people running the place - the Orchestra, the

choir friends of the Phil and not much else.

The new Philharmonic Hall was completed in 1939(Image: Liverpool Philharmonic)