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The orchestra consisted mainly of amateurs when it was founded in 1840, and was only the second orchestra of its kind behind the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which was disbanded eight years prior. Initially, performances were held in the small backroom of a dance academy, but its performances for Liverpool's elite soon took it to the large hall of the Collegiate Institution. The orchestra's first principal conductor was J. Zeugheer Herrmann. Upon the completion of the society's first concert hall, attendance began to decline and disputes arose between subsequent conductors, the choir, and the orchestra. These problems continued off an on, culminating in the Philharmonic Hall's destruction by fire in 1933. The hall was lavishly rebuilt in 1939, just years before the outbreak of WWII would disrupt performances from every other orchestra in the country. However, then chairman of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, David Webster, insisted that the orchestra continue as a way to boost morale. While many other orchestras in the country were suspended, Liverpool was able to recruit renowned musicians that had nowhere else to play. The orchestra became so popular, the city offered its patronage to the performers, considerably boosting the orchestra's funding and the quality of their performances. In 1944, the orchestra performed their first show in London, at the Royal Albert Hall. In 1957, the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra was granted "Royal Status", and soon after the Queen herself became a patron. Principal Conductor Charles Groves helped bring the orchestra into the modern age by featuring more modern composers, and becoming the first English conductor to direct a full cycle of Mahler's symphonies. He also led the orchestra on its first overseas tour, where they performed in Germany and Switzerland. A similar effect was had by Libor Pešek, after he took over as conductor in 1987. Along with a rise in more popular pieces, so too came a rise in the quality and overall popularity of the orchestra. In 1991, the orchestra performed Paul McCartney's Liverpool Concerto, and the following year it became the first non-Czech orchestra to perform the opening concert at the Prague Spring Festival. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra once again leapt into the modern age after assigning 29 year-old Vasily Petrenko to principal conductor (the youngest person to ever hold the position). That same year, the orchestra signed a deal to be sponsored by Classic FM, which brought a whole new slew of modern music to the orchestra's repertoire. It celebrated its 175th Anniversary in 2015, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra looks to last long into the future with superb music, both classic and modern.
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