A rare Vaughan Williams symphony will be played live for the first time in more than 30 years in a north Norfolk town where the English composer put together the piece of music.

%image(14854672, type="article-full", alt="Conductor Keith Hobday with an original Vaughan Williams' score of 2nd Symphony "A London Symphony" outside the house in Sheringham where Vaughan Williams Lived. He'll be conducting the piece at St Peter's Church in the town on 26th July.Picture: MARK BULLIMORE")

The North Norfolk Sinfonia amateur orchestra is performing the second revision of A London Symphony at St Peter's Church in Sheringham on Sunday July 26 to mark the orchestra's 25th anniversary.

Vaughan Williams, who died in 1958, wrote three versions of A London Symphony and the final one, completed in 1933, is the one people commonly hear today.

The second version, written while the composer was living in Sheringham between 1919 and 1921 and published in 1920 by Stainer and Bell, was last performed in 1972 by the Kensington Symphony Orchestra but rarely played before that.

Next weekend's concert, which starts at 7.30pm, will be the first live modern performance of the piece in Britain since then.

%image(14854673, type="article-full", alt="Conductor Keith Hobday, 41, with an original Vaughan Williams' score of 2nd Symphony "A London Symphony" outside the house in Sheringham where Vaughan Williams Lived. He'll be conducting the piece at St Peter's Church in the town on 26th July. He's pictured with singer Evie Anderson, 41, who'll also be performing at the concert. Picture: MARK BULLIMORE")

Keith Hobday, North Norfolk Sinfonia musical director from Overstrand, said: 'I'm really excited and cannot believe this is happening. It is a real privilege. The fact we are playing the Sheringham version in Sheringham down the road from where he lived is fantastic.'

Mr Hobday got hold of the score, in the Stainer and Bell archives, after spotting the Vaughan Williams blue plaque on a Sheringham residential property called Martincross last year and researching the composer's north Norfolk life.

Martincross is on the corner of the Boulevard and St. Nicholas Place.

The first version of A London Symphony, referred to as the Original 1913 Version, was written in 1912/13 and first performed on March 27 1914.

A full score had to be reconstructed from the parts after the manuscript score was lost when being sent to Germany in July 1914.

The second version, being performed next weekend, was created from this original piece.

Under 16s can watch the concert for free but tickets, available on the door, cost £8 for adults and £7 for concessions. Alternatively call 01263 514738.

Are you putting on a special concert? Email emma.knights@archant.co.uk