History of The SLRO - The 1970s
Beginnings
The South Liverpool Rehearsal Orchestra grew out of the South Liverpool Symphony Orchestra founded in September 1976 by Bertha and Eugene Genin. For many years, the Genins had both been involved with Merseyside's musical life. At various times, Eugene had conducted amateur orchestras at Christ's, St. Katharine's & Notre Dame College and at Liverpool LEA Evening Institute orchestras held at the David Lewis Theatre, Mount Street, Highfield and Rose Lane as well as being conductor of the Oxton and Claughton Orchestral Society. He worked as a peripatetic string instrument teacher in many schools, teaching violin, viola (his own principal instrument which he had played in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra), cello and double bass as well as taking private pupils at his own home. Eugene was a pupil of Alfred Ross (taught by Joachim) whose father, John, was also a music teacher, with premises in a large Canning Street house.
Bertha (nee Murnaghan) had played as a harpist in the Manchester BBC Northern Orchestra and had taught at St. Finbar's R.C. Primary School, in Liverpool. Each summer, the Genins ran a week's orchestral holiday in the Lake District held at the Hollins Hotel and known as the Grasmere Orchestra. Apparently, the idea came from Mona Lloyd, a well known Liverpool amateur violinist who was a teacher of handicapped children at Sandfield Park(?) School and who had led the Orchestra since she founded it in the mid-1930's.
When Eugene was retired on grounds of age by Liverpool Education Authority, Bertha suggested that they should set up their own independent orchestra. Arrangements were made with La Sagesse R. C. Girls' High School, Aigburth Road, L19, for the proposed orchestra to meet in the School Hall on Tuesday evenings during term time (The old Mount Street Orchestra used to meet on those nights). This location was very convenient for the Genins as they lived just around the corner in Mayfield Road.