The Thames Valley Festival Orchestra was founded in January 2023 by Jasmine Huxtable-Wright. The objective of this initiative is for the by-invitation orchestra to come together to rehearse and perform on a project by project basis. The inaugural project was to bring ‘Keep Passing Open Windows: A Symphonic Tribute to Queen’, arrangements by Dee Palmer, to the concert platform. Apart from an EMI recording in 1996 and a couple of performances in the next years, the work had not been heard in public for over 25 years. That all changed when the 65 piece orchestra performed the full work live in concert at the Leytonstone Festival on September 9th 2023, in Windsor, Berkshire in December 2023 and at Dorchester Abbey, Oxon in April 2024. A further performance in September 2024 showcased Dee Palmer’s orchestral arrangements of music of The Beatles and selections from previous Queen Tribute programmes. A new programme for 2025 ‘An Evening of Symphonic Prog Rock’ has been performed in Windsor in May 2025 and will be showcased again in Dorchester Abbey in September 2025.

Set List for original Queen Symphonic Tribute programme:

Prelude – Fanfare/Tie Your Mother Down

Bicycle Race

Somebody to Love

Killer Queen

Who Wants to Live Forever

Interlude – Death on Two Legs

Now I’m Here

Innuendo

Love of My Life

Keep Passing the Open Windows

We are the Champions

Postlude – In Memoriam….FM-MP