As his eyes dart over the sheet music, John Streeter’s fingers move effortlessly across the violin strings.
His right hand delicately balances the bow to create a crystal clear note.
But despite the precision of his movements, John isn’t an agile youngster - he is 84 years old.
“It is a love of music which keeps us all playing,” says John, who is a member of Walsall Senior Citizens Symphony Orchestra. “There is a great atmosphere within the group, and a lot of people that take part have been playing all their lives. It can be a struggle to find things to do in your retirement but if you play a musical instrument, it is a wonderful way of getting out of the house and meeting new people while keeping your musical skills at a good level.”
Walsall Senior Citizens Symphony Orchestra plays a range of music from shows such as South Pacific and The Wizard of Oz to classical pieces by Mozart and Strauss. The group, which puts on a performance each month at Walsall Town Hall, has been running since 1982, and members range from their mid-40s to their late 80s.
Bill Loynes, 76, from Woodsetton, Dudley, who plays the violin, says he has learned new musical skills since joining the group.
“Before I retired, I was an accountant and hadn’t picked up my violin in over 50 years,” he says.
“It was great when I joined the group because I found myself sitting next to Vic Oliver, who I used to have violin lessons with when we were at Tipton Green Infant School. We hadn’t seen each other since school, so it was great to meet up - just like old times.”
Carol Edwards, 63, from Burntwood is a violin teacher and one of the youngest in the group.
“I joined the orchestra a couple of years ago, and now I co-lead the violins,” she says.
“Because I’m retired, it fills my Wednesday morning, and there is a great atmosphere. I have met lots of new people, and I don’t believe there is any group like this in the country. My family think it is great, and they love to come and watch me play at the Town Hall. A lot of the people that come to our concerts are senior citizens, and they only have to pay £1 to come and have a fantastic time.”
There is a wealth of experience within the orchestra. Jeffrey Johnston, 83, from Norton Canes, has played the violin in Birmingham Philharmonic and Walsall Symphony Orchestra, while Terry Jinks, 87, from Castle Bromwich, played the clarinet in dance bands. “The youngest member of the group has to be Lionel Sallis, who is a professional drummer,” says Jeffrey. “He is in his mid-40s but he took over the position of drummer from his father.
“We have been playing at the Forest Arts Centre for nine years, and before that practised at Bridge Street in Walsall, and at a hall in Brownhills. It is wonderful that we are all still able to perform, and we have a very good audience with around 300 people coming each month to see us at the Town Hall. We still get a buzz from performing, because we have a very good audience and are always well received.”
Mike Parrott, head of art and events for Walsall Council, says he has a lot of respect for the orchestra. “It may not be very politically correct to call them senior citizens but that is what they wanted to be called - they are proud to be one of the ‘oldest’ orchestras in the country,” he says.
“They are such a unique group with members in their 80s, and they often perform to a sell-out crowd.
“It fits in well with the programme at Forest Arts Centre - which is about arts for all ages and all cultures.”
Charles Brown, 80, from Penkridge, is the group’s musical director and has been with the group for four years. “I have always been impressed by their keenness,” says Charles, who conducts the group. “We need new strings to come forward, and the term senior citizens is a bit wrong because there isn’t an age limit - people just need to be at around grade five level and available to practise every Wednesday morning.
“I had plenty of experience playing in bands when I spent 30 years in the RAF.
“Because we do a concert each month, we come up with a fresh programme each time. We always get very good feedback from the audience - one lady came up to me and said she could listen to our music all day.
“We see a lot of the same faces out in the audience each month, so we must be doing something right else they wouldn’t keep coming back for more.”
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