Hampshire Guitar Orchestra in concert with Cambridge Guitar Orchestra

It's become a tradition...

...that the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra and the Cambridge Guitar Orchestra (CGO) get together each year for a joint concert.

From a hesitant beginning in 2002, this "home and away" concept has evolved into a fantastic weekend, with rehearsals, food, a concert and a massive celebration afterwards. A few "stills" can't do justice to it all, but we've had a go in our album of "serious & silly"

Our relationship goes back a long way - to 1984, when hago's Musical Director, Derek, lost Sandra, one of his best pupils, when she left Havant and set up home close to Cambridge.

Unbeknown to Derek, Sandra moved from being a pupil to a qualified teacher and took a seat in the Cambridge Guitar Orchestra. It was at the West Dean Guitar Festival in 2000 that Sandra and Derek met again and in early 2001, CGO came to Brighton to play, and we realised that joint Concerts were a real possibility.

And that's how our regular forays into each other's "territory" first started...

So start here and gradually scroll down to find out how much more fun our "biennial bash" has started to become!

Visit Cambridge Guitar Orchestra on the web

2002 - at St Agatha's Church Portsmouth A chance meeting at West Dean between our MD Derek and a former student of his, now playing in CGO, resulted in the first of what has been a remarkable and happy series of joint concerts, in Portsmouth on the even numbered years, and in Cambridge on the odd. Our first concert, played to an audience of almost 190 people, was in the magnificent St Agatha's Church Portsmouth

hago playing our first set with CGO	And CGO returning the volley...
2003 - at the Church of St Edward King and Martyr Cambridge Our first visit to Cambridge ended with CGO joining us for our final item - a 35-strong rendition of a fun little piece.

The final item in hago's set was called Ballo Dell'Impedimento Del Trattore a Cingoli More about the story of the Ballo here!	Here's hago - ready to roll

hago take a bow at the end of their set	The concert concluded with a massed item - Isle of Capri - with 35 players
2004 - at All Saints Church Portsmouth For Cambridge's second visit, we moved to a slightly more modest and less reverberant venue. We were joined by one of our players' other ensembles, the Crofton Guitar Ensemble. The tea, between rehearsals and the concert started to set the tradition that food and friendship are the two reasons for our concerts!

Our concert opened with the Crofton Guitar Ensemble led by hago player Amber Saunders whose items included Machado and Metallica	hago were on next - we're pictured here rehearsing

CGO closed the concert - again seen here rehearsing	And here we see what has become the tradition of a post-rehearsal pre-concert feast, provided by the home team
2005 - at the Church of St Edward King and Martyr Cambridge We returned to the lovely Church in the very centre of Cambridge for another concert and more food!

CGO rehearsing	hago rehearsing

Back at the hotel, Avril can't conceal her disappointment	Some of hago decide to try freestyle wrestling...

...while others decide to wear the contents of the Pot Pourri	And it all proves too exciting for words... Winner of the first hago award for sleeping at the party is Heather! More winners in future years...
2006 - at St Agatha's Church Portsmouth In 2006, we returned to the magnificent Church of St Agatha, in central Portsmouth. Food came first (and what's wrong with that), before an enjoyable concert was taken down a peg or two by the appearance of CGO's new mascot - a furry creature with a large beak which they called Derek. Can't think why. Except that it's very irritating and noisy.

Food fun and friendship!	CGO working hard on some last minute polishing

hago playing Dr Who	CGO getting ready for their next piece

The post-concert wind-down was at Southsea on a gloriousy balmy evening.	Avril gets confused over which Derek is which and tries to strangle the wrong one.
2007 - at the Church of St Edward King and Martyr Cambridge hago returns to Cambridge eager to exact revenge for Derek the Chicken

CGO in concert	hago in concert, with our new music stand covers adding more red, black and white

Back in the hotel we've apparently over-catered a bit!	Derek with Peter Rueffer, CGO MD, pictured wearing a wig and being the worse for wear all in one go - yes, hago present him with a fetching black rockstar hairdo.

Apparently, anyone who's anybody is wearing a rockstar hairdo this year...

Later, Derek was nearly given a First Class Stamp before being rescued in the nick of time...	Winner of the second hago award for sleeping at the party is Lisa! More winners in future years...
2008 - at St George's Church Portsea This concert, part of the opening celebrations of the Portsmouth Festivities, was held in the lovely St George's Church Portsea

It's no good - we just HAD to eat first!	Here's hago performing in the first half of the concert

Our post-concert party was in the Customs House at Gunwharf	And of course Derek was there...
2009 - at the Church of St Edward King and Martyr Cambridge High spot of hago's year is our outing to Cambridge and this year's was quite spectacular. There were three stitch-ups for a start...

Some of the team enjoying the sights before the concert	CGO were rehearsing furiously when we came into the Church

Stitch-up number one - hago's rehearsal lasted 2 minutes - a cold and calculated move to unsettle the hosts and get to the food quicker. And it worked - CGO were seen to have a SECOND rehearsal in the time we freed up! We were so quick, there was no photo...	Stitch-up number two came with hago's unprogrammed performance of Left Bank Two (see hago on YouTube) accompanied by a display of tasteful and stylish hand-drawn pictures of CGO's Musical Director

Back in the hotel, Peter Rueffer was presented with our efforts. It was much appreciated as you can see from his strained smile...	Avril proudly showed off her new slim and lithe guitar, which has been on the Atkins Diet

Stitch-up number three - CGO's MD hadn't seen what was on the T-shirt when we got him to pose...	Winner of the third hago award for sleeping at the party is Tracy, who lost the will to live just as Mike finished his 30-minute shaggy dog story
2010 - at St George's Church Portsea This concert, part of the closing concerts of the Portsmouth Festivities, was held in the lovely St George's Church Portsea Events didn't go to plan when an electricity substation caught fire at 1am and blacked out 47,000 properties. Gunwharf Quays and its car park remained shut all evening, but the church had power all day.

The woodcarving of St George, over the door to the kitchen	hago at their soundcheck

The view from the front of the Gallery	The gallery was pretty packed, and the acoustics up there were sublime

Derek the Chicken became Derek the Duck this year. Here's the Peking Duck...	Accompanied by the music from The Pink Panther, our MD was presented with a fizzing "berm" as a token of CGO's affection for him...

With Gunwharf shut, the pubs that were open were rather crowded and noisy, but it didn't stop the two orchestras enjoying a drink together. In fact nothing stops the two orchestras enjoying a drink together!	The aftermath of the concert. hago will be plotting their revenge...
2011 - at the Church of St Edward King and Martyr Cambridge Our eagerly-awaited outing to Cambridge once again took place in the Church at Peas Hill

Time for a cuppa at the Hotel before the concert	hago at their soundcheck

CGO get ready to start	CGO in full flight!

hago played the second half of the concert...	Our gift of appreciation to Peter, CGO's Musical Director, was a pair of silent practice percussion eggs in a Cambridge Blue case - the Peter Pan

	Here is some of CGO and some of the food...

After the concert it was back to the hotel for the now-traditional post-concert party...	And some of hago and some more of the food!

Winner of the "First person to fall asleep" award was the hot favourite!