History of The SLRO - The 1990s
The End... Or a New Beginning?
Leo Byrne announced at the first meeting of the 1992 season that he was closing down the Orchestra as he and Catherine were over-burdened, with their employment and domestic responsibilities and with the difficulty of arriving in time for the rehearsals at the Music Salon from Hoylake. This was a great shock to members. Not only had our conductor resigned but we had lost at one fell swoop, Catherine on the timps, Matthew as Leader, (Agnes having died a couple of years earlier); their daughter, Jane, oboe; daughter Anne who played violin; son Nicholas (cello); son Jonathan (violin); and Katie (clarinet) as well as access to the City Music Library tickets, all the sheet music and the timps! (N.B. Bertha Genin had died by this time).
Nothing daunted, Phyllis McIlroy (viola) and a longstanding player in Eugene Genin's orchestras was determined to keep the orchestra going. She sounded out one of the Ormskirk Orchestra's conductors, Roger Tindley, and spoke to their Music Librarian, Mrs. Yates, about the possible loan of some of their music. Eileen Tregunna (cello) who had contacts in the LIRE as she had been an External Assessor for their B.Ed Finals course, called a meeting on October 20th 1992, having obtained a list of current members from Catherine Byrne. Dr Ian Sharp, Senior Lecturer in Music and the Institute's organist represented the College authorities and has been closely associated with, and strongly supportive of, the orchestra ever since. It was decided that sufficient members were in favour of continuing and Eileen Tregunna liaised with the College about the administrative arrangements. She was amazed to find that the SLSO had use of the Music Salon gratis and equally astounded and grateful, to be told that the College authorities were happy for this situation to continue!