Downton Abbey creator lends support to Great War Commemoration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

The creator and writer of television’s Downton Abbey, Lord Julian Fellowes has given his support to a special concert in Lowestoft this autumn which is set to mark the Centenary of the First World War, and raise funds for a local holiday centre for service veterans.

The world renowned Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, currently enjoying an unprecedented tenth year of residency in Lowestoft, will end their 2014 season on November 15 with a special commemoration of the First World War, with a concert featuring music and readings primarily composed between 1914 & 1918.

Conducted by Michael Seal and featuring soloists Laura van der Heijden (cello) and Duncan Riddell (violin), the evening will include Elgar’s Cello Concerto, Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, Butterworth’s The Banks Of The Green Willow and Elgar’s Nimrod from his celebrated Enigma Variations. In addition, more contemporary pieces will include Sutton’s War Horse Suite & Lunn’s Downton Abbey Suite.

Management at the Marina Theatre have offered the town’s Lord Kitchener Memorial Holiday Centre the opportunity to highlight the work of the home during the evening in the hope of raising much needed funds and Lord Julian Fellowes, whose wife Lady Emma Kitchener-Fellowes is Patron of the centre, has sent a message of support.

“It feels wonderfully appropriate that a concert to commemorate the Centenary for the First World War by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, should be raising support for the Lord Kitchener Memorial Holiday Centre in Lowestoft, of which my wife is Patron, and we congratulate the Marina Theatre for hosting such a marvellous evening. Naturally, for me, the choice of the Downton Abbey Suite as an item on the programme is the icing on the cake. We wish everyone involved the most tremendous success.”

The orchestra has enjoyed a hugely successful partnership with the Marina Theatre since 2005 with a host of international conductors, musicians’ and soloists presented on stage in Lowestoft. Despite receiving no major sponsorship or subsidy and almost totally reliant on box office receipts, the ongoing relationship with one of the world’s top orchestras has been hailed as one of the most successful of its kind in the UK.

Michael Sims of the Kitchener’s Home said, “The Lord Kitchener Memorial Holiday Centre, Lowestoft’s very own military charity which has been supporting ex-service personnel since 1919, is delighted to receive support for their work from the Marina Theatre and those attending what is anticipated to be a very moving concert by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in November.”

Marina Chief Executive, Martin Halliday added, “We are thrilled that both Lord and Lady Kitchener-Fellowes are supporting our forthcoming concert which will mark the Centenary of the First World War and in turn support the great work of the Lord Kitchener’s Memorial Holiday Centre here in Lowestoft.”

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performs a sell out Last Night Of The Proms event at the Marina tonight, seats for the Great War Centenary concert on November 15 are available from the Marina Theatre Box Office by calling 01502 533200 and online at www.marinatheatre.co.uk