Conductor Anthony Brown and his Fulltone Orchestra take ‘A French Fantasy’ on tour

South West conductor Anthony Brown will be taking his huge 72 piece Fulltone Orchestra on a three-date tour this autumn to celebrate some of the most iconic French classical music.

The orchestra, based in Wiltshire, will present A French Fantasy: Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, among other arrangements, over three nights in October. 

The tour takes in:

• Saturday 8th October: Cirencester, St John Baptist Church
• Saturday 22nd October: Marlborough College, Memorial Hall
• Sunday 23rd October: Oxford, Sheldonian Theatre

Guests can expect to hear music from Boléro, Carmen No 1 Prélude, Danse Macabre, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and elements of Symphonie Fantastique Op. 14 among other arrangements. 

“I’m very excited we will be playing at Marlborough College this month – it’s going to be a very special evening,” Anthony said. 

The professional orchestra rehearses in Devizes in the run-up to its concerts. There are more than 150 top flight musicians in the group with each concert featuring up to 72. The orchestra has grown in stature and professionalism since its inception in September 2017.

The evening is set to absolutely enthral, with rehearsals in full swing and the hairs on the back of necks already standing on end. 

Anthony said: “This programme was put together to create pure excitement - with our biggest performing orchestra to date, all 72 of us will be playing this massive and enthralling set - taking the audience through an entire spectrum of emotions, in a huge finale that’s both dramatic and stirring!”

Music has been an important part of conductor and founder Anthony’s life since childhood. He was head chorister, learnt to play the flute to diploma level and was found treading the boards as the male leads in shows up until swapping the stage for the baton. 

However, music wasn’t his first career. He worked as an accountant before owning a uniform business and running a theatre company with his wife, Jemma. 

“I really should have done music in some form straight from school. It was much later in life I became determined to have my own orchestra and now that dream is a reality, and I get to work with some of the best musicians I could have ever dreamt of working with.”

Anthony is expertly mentored by Captain Neil Skipper, Director of Music in the British Army. 

Anthony, 44, lives in Devizes with Jemma, and between them, they have three children. Jemma is also musical, is an accomplished vocalist and is Head of Devizes Music Academy and the artistic director of the Fulltone Orchestra.

Future plans include the orchestra performing Karl Jenkins’ Symphonic Adiemus in three cathedrals with a massed choir followed by a 2023 tour around musicals with a top West End star. 

Tickets for the October shows, are available by visiting www.fto.org.uk