Richard Bradley, who lives in Vila Nova de Poiares, took the reins of the prominent Society at the start of this month.
Mr. Bradly is also the first foreigner in the band’s 140-year history and, coincidentally, the tallest person in the town, at 6’6”.
Founded in 1874, the Poiarense Philharmonic Society consists of a 40-piece town band, a 20-member school band and a 15-member choir. It carries out between 25 and 35 social engagements a year, from sit-down concerts and public parades, to obligatory functions for the local council.
“In Portugal the town band institution is considered to be a fundamental element of a town’s life and a priceless heritage that needs to be preserved and supported. I am extremely proud to have been chosen to be the President of this wonderful ‘família’, and with the help of many other Poiares residents and businesses, I am sure that the future of this historic and dynamic institution will be very bright”, Mr. Bradly says.
The 53-year-old London-born language teacher first passed through Coimbra in 1985, where he taught at the Cambridge School, after graduating from university.
His life path then took him through Spain, Brazil and back to the UK, before he returned to Coimbra following a trip to Portugal and a chance encounter with an old flame in 2001.
Mr. Bradly, who also plays clarinet and saxophone, hopes his new appointment will help other expats better merge into their local community.
“As a Brit now in charge of a key Poiares institution, I would love to have some fellow foreigners involved in some way and I would do all I can to help them integrate”, he says, adding: “Being a member of the Poiarense Philharmonic Society is a fantastic opportunity for musicians of all ages and backgrounds to commence or improve their musical skills, raise their self esteem, work in a supportive team environment and contribute to the well-being of their town.”
For more information on the Poiarense Philharmonic Society, email: ffpoiarense@gmail.com.