Life at Liverpool's 'musical palace' that once spent 'days in darkness'

One of Liverpool’s most iconic buildings, the Philharmonic Hall is known to everyone in the city.

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.

The origins of the Orchestra’s concert series date back to the formation of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic by a group of Liverpool music lovers in 1840. Through the generations, many of the musicians have seen the industry and city change around them, as well as life at the hall from " to now being packed with multiple events throughout the week.

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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 hall was owned and run by the county council as it then was and staffed by them. There were lots of Philharmonic concerts but there wasn't much else.

"The rest of the time the hall was dark, except for one week in the summer when the university used it for graduations. Now you look at it, this is the second building on this site that's been built for us. The previous one from 1993 was knocked down in 2015 because it wasn't up to what we needed for the music room."

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Richard Wallace joined the Orchestra on September 3, 1979, as a Section Player Viola. He told the ECHO: "The hall used to be dark for most of its time.

"Now, probably five or six days a week, this hall is being used. In a busy week, we are getting a dozen shows in - that's extraordinary.

"The area around here, when I first got here was fairly abandoned and desolate. That's utterly changed. I think we’ve brought a lot of people in, and the Everyman and the surrounding universities."

Rob Shepley joined the Orchestra on April 2, 1984, as Principal Viola, with Alex Marks joining the following year as Section Player 1st Violin on October 21, 1985. In their careers, they have also seen not only the site change but the city around them

Rob said: "The Phil hall was quite different with no extension at the back. The layout was a big room in the basement with a pool table and one big changing room.

"This later became Rubato restaurant, now it’s the library and none of the current violas apart from Richard Wallace were here. The city was not developed much until the famous Garden Festival and the Albert Dock which kicked off a bit of cultural renaissance.

"We have really caught up to Manchester now and it's a fantastic place to live and work. The Anglican Cathedral was surrounded by a wastel and now it's all beautiful." Alex told the ECHO: "It was still rather a great place in its way, it was very individual.

"I don't think many other places were like it. It's gained a lot, but it's lost things as you do." For the Orchestra, how much they tour and the structure of their day-to-day job has changed a lot over the decades, but when they arrive in another city, "everyone knows who Liverpool is."

Jonathan said: "The amount that goes on in this, what I call a "musical palace" for the city is incredible. We have travelled and played all over Europe, we have an interest in what goes on in other countries and you see what goes on in other places and I think the way this organisation came through some tight spots when it might have folded like many other philharmonic societies around the country did - this one stayed and survived and thrived and has morphed into what we have now with our Orchestra.

"I'm not going to be modest about it - it is one of the best in Europe. We can stand next to the very famous names, and we do, we can play anywhere and stand proud for the city - a city of half a million people that achieve so much and punches so far above its weight in so many different ways."

Rob said: "I think the Orchestra is up there with the football teams of the city. The loyal Liverpool audience I think is unique in this country.

"I’m always keen to see young people getting the bug of concert-going. Also, it’s important for people visiting the place to see how diverse Liverpool's culture is."

In more recent years, campaigns were had to save the organisation in challenging times and through it, the Orchestra have also played a pivotal role in paving the way for other venues and popular events. Back in the 1990s, the Summer Pops festival was set up by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic conductor Carl Davis as a way to give the orchestra somewhere to play while the Philharmonic Hall was being refurbished.

But it was so popular it carried on, with other artists coming on board, with music legends like Paul McCartney, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, James Brown, The Who, and Elton John gracing the famous green and yellow big top. It was originally set up on Kings Dock - on the future site of the M&S Bank Arena.

Jonathan said: "The great Carl Davis led that whole programme and that started a whole season that went on and morphed into something bigger with rock concerts and Elton John performing. It kind of paved the way for the building of the arena - it's another way the orchestra kind of led an experiment that led to something that's now a huge asset to the city. You couldn't make that up."

Alex added: "It was lucky in a way because the Orchestra needed someone like Carl Davis, he brought in a whole dimension which wouldn't have been there. It was very good for the Orchestra and the community."

This year, all four musicians will be retiring from the Orchestra and have been reminiscing on their favourite memories. A standout for all of them was when the Orchestra performed at the Prague Spring Festival - the first foreign orchestra to be given that honour playing the famous Má vlast - "before the Iron Curtain came down."

Rob said: "Well 40 years have flown by and it’s time for me to move on. I’m certainly not giving up being a musician though. There have been many concerts and tours over the years, with different conductors and soloists. I’ve always loved to play different music in ensembles over the years and enjoyed the variety there.

"Highlights like playing The James Bond theme on guitar with Carl Davis in a massive circus tent on Kings Dock for instance. I met my wife of 38 years in the Phil bar at an Orchestra party and beat off another of my colleagues in the process - so I really have a lot to thank the orchestra for. Thanks to all my colleagues at the RLPO family."

Richard said: "After joining the orchestra in 1979, it soon became clear that this was a city I could happily spend my career and life in. Over the years it has been an enormous pleasure and privilege to have shared the stage with so many wonderful musicians, past and present, and to have helped forge a close relationship with a remarkable audience. I look forward to crossing the stage and joining the audience from next season."

Speaking on his retirement Alex said: "I am privileged and fortunate to have had a job doing something I love surrounded by such a great bunch of people. This Orchestra has a unique spirit, I will particularly miss my friends in the first violin section and string quartet and the close friendships and bonds that are formed over many years."

And Jonathan said: "It's been an enormous honour and privilege to have played in the Orchestra for such a long period. From day one I've always felt at home in Liverpool and felt able to thrive here with the incredible warmth and appreciation of our Philharmonic Hall audience, and from the people of our city more widely.

"My family and I couldn't be more proud of our home city. I want to thank all my colleagues and friends in the organisation for their steadfast support over so many years and wish everyone at the Phil every success, which I hope to follow long into the future. A wise musician once said musicians don't really retire until they feel they have no more music left in them and I doubt the four of us feel that way."

Domingo Hindoyan was appointed Chief Conductor of the Orchestra in 2021, joining a distinguished line of musicians who have led the Orchestra during its illustrious history. This month, he will lead the Orchestra in a seven-concert tour of Japan. And while four long-standing musicians will be retiring, three new musicians are joining the Orchestra ahead of the upcoming 2023/25 season. Sophie McQueen will be Associate Principal Second Violin, Joana Correia Rodrigues, Second Violin and Matthew Brett, a former member of the Liverpool Philharmonic’s Emerging Professionals Fellowship programme, will join as Section Leader Percussion.

Chief Executive of Liverpool Philharmonic Michael Eakin said: "It is a bitter-sweet moment to be bidding farewell to our valued musicians and welcoming in the next generation of players to the Orchestra. Rob, Richard, Alex and Jonathan have been a huge part of the Liverpool Philharmonic for many years and have each helped to shape the Orchestra into what it is today. We will always value their contribution and the friendships made over the years and wish them all the best in their retirement.

"On behalf of the entire Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra family, I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to Sophie, Joana and Matthew. We are thrilled to have these exceptional new musicians join us as we commence the new season. Their remarkable talents and passion for music are a wonderful addition to our ensemble and we can’t wait to see them take to the stage.

"We already have previous members of the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company that have gone on to join the Orchestra and we’re delighted to welcome an alumnus of our Emerging Musicians Fellowship this season, our learning programmes are an integral part of the organisation and it’s wonderful to see their long term impact on young musicians."

To find out more about the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, click here.

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