Design Students Create New Branding For Wrexham Symphony Orchestra

Wrexham Symphony Orchestra is being given a fresh new look with a brand makeover by artists from Wrexham Glyndwr University as it prepares to mark its 50th year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The orchestra has tasked graphic design students from the higher education institution to come up with a new logo and marketing imagery ahead of the celebration in the 2018-19 concert season. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A group of undergraduate students have been working on the live project since autumn and their ideas will be displayed at the orchestra’s next concert on Saturday 25 February 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new design will be chosen following feedback from musicians and audience members at the William Aston Hall show. The new look will be implemented in time for the orchestra’s half-centenary landmark. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As well as potential new logos, the brand overhaul covers suggestions for imagery, tickets and websites. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Orchestra spokesman Derek Jones said: “We want to broaden the orchestra’s appeal and reach new audiences and freshening up all of our branding will help us to do that. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The project is also about giving back to the university, which has been a tremendous supporter of ours for many, many years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The project has been received wonderfully well by the students and they’ve done a great job from what I’ve seen so far. We’re looking forward to seeing all of their finished designs at the February concert.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Wrexham Symphony Orchestra was established in 1969 as the Clywedog Ensemble and has been Orchestra in Residence at Wrexham Glyndwr University since 1997. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It is an amateur, community orchestra of more than 50 musicians and usually performs at least four concerts a year at the William Aston Hall. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Derek said: “We have valuable commercial support from 13 independent Wrexham businesses who provide us with vital financial backing to enable us to enhance and improve what we do. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The orchestra is entering an exciting time in its history. To add to the 50th anniversary celebration, next year marks 20 years of our time as Orchestra in Residence at Wrexham Glyndwr University. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’re also making a return to Bridgewater Hall in Manchester in 2018 to perform Gustav Mahler’s 8th Symphony – Symphony of a Thousand, following the orchestra’s successful debut there in 2015. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The concert will be part of our long term ground breaking Mahler Charitable concert series which supports the work of the Wrexham Memory Clinic in treating people affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia in our local community. The Mahler project has raised over £13,500 to date.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The programme for Wrexham Symphony Orchestra’s ‘Music from the North and South’ concert on Saturday 25 February features works by Elgar (In the South), Grieg (Peer Gynt Suite No 1), Nielsen (Symphony No3 ‘Sinfonia espansiva’) and Bizet (Carmen Suite). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tickets are priced £12 balcony and £10 stalls; Concessions £8 (stalls); Students, including school pupils and children £2 (stalls). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​