Tayside Symphony Orchestra will fanfare the return of Forfar’s Reid Hall to public use after almost three years of Covid closedown.
The venue is one of the biggest public halls in Angus.
But it has been closed since March 2020, initially due to Covid restrictions and then for use as a vaccination centre.
NHS Tayside moved to a new centre in Forfar’s Montrose Road at the end of October.
Since then Angus Alive and Angus Council have been working closely to pull together necessary remedial works prior to re-opening the doors.
Montrose Town Hall and Arbroath Community Centre remain in use as vaccination centres.
Arbroath had been due to move to the former Town Mission before it was hit by flooding.
And there have been concerns not enough has been done to find alternative venues to allow the community halls to re-open to the public.
Reid Hall Return concert
The Reid Hall re-opening means the popular orchestra can take to the stage for a 30th anniversary concert next month.
TSO gave one of the last performances at the Reid Hall in February 2020 before the pandemic closed its doors.
And the orchestra is thrilled to be returning to the venue it has been synonymous with since its early days.
It was formed in 1993 by the orchestra’s first conductor, the late Ron Walker, to raise money for Chest, Heart and Stroke.
Originally meant to be a one-off event, TSO is still going three decades on.
The Reid Hall Return concert will feature popular local soprano, Maggie Findlay, performing a selection of songs by composers including Bizet and Lehar.
And the musicians will play selections from Carousel and Showboat as well as a tribute to popular composer Irving Berlin.
Great support from Reid Hall audiences
TSO chairman Bill McLeod says it will be extra special for the group that the concert is the first public event.
“The orchestra, like so many other organisations, has had to make an extended break over the pandemic,” he said.
“We were so happy to get back to rehearsing and performing last year, but now we are back ‘home’ and looking forward to performing a wide variety of orchestra music in the Reid Hall in the months and years ahead.
“We have always had great support at the Reid Hall since we first performed there 30 years’ ago.”
TSO conductor Richard Allan added: “It feels very much like another big step back to full normality after such a turbulent time.
“I hope people from Forfar and the surrounding area will once again support the orchestra and enjoy the concerts we have planned for 2023.”
Angus Alive theatre and venues manager Audrey Hood said: “The Reid Hall is a fantastic, versatile community asset which has been greatly missed.
“The varied programme of activities which usually take place in the hall will now return along with private events such as weddings, birthday parties, charity events and concerts.”
Details about hiring the Reid Hall, which was founded more than 150 years ago, or tickets for the Reid Hall Return concert can be found at www.angusalive.scot
