Orpheus Sinfonia (f. 2009) is a young and vibrant, bright beacon of the UK’s professional orchestral scene, producing performances for public benefit. Orpheus explores new and ground-breaking avenues for performance, outreach work, and community interaction. We strive to make the highest quality music available to all and to create new and exceptional works of excellence, transforming lives. Orpheus exists for musicians to succeed and discover their creativity, investing in music’s future via meaningful, inspiring audience engagement, bringing music to all.

Over the last decade the orchestra has grown through many avenues, and its charitable initiatives and musically enterprising spirit have been recognised and supported through the patronage of Dame Judi Dench and Sir Antonio Pappano. Orpheus is currently under the artistic direction of international cellist and conductor Thomas Carroll, with Oliver Gooch as principal guest conductor.

Resident at St George’s Hanover Square in London, Orpheus regularly makes appearances throughout the UK, including Royal Festival Hall, London Coliseum, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Hackney Empire, and Windsor Castle. Since 2017, Orpheus Sinfonia has been the official orchestra of the International Opera Awards. The orchestra specialises in delivering wide-ranging performances incorporating symphonic repertoire, world premières, curated and bespoke programmes, children’s interactive performances, workshops and introductions, choral works, and orchestra live to film and opera.

Last year Orpheus concluded a ground-breaking re-interpretation of Wagner’s Ring Cycle with the Arcola Theatre at Hackney Empire in a double bill of Siegfried and Gotterdammerung, received to great critical acclaim. The orchestra has been invited to play at premieres for films including Avatar: Way of Water and Tár, performed for the Platinum Jubilee Concert in Windsor Castle, and has commissioned brand new British children’s symphonic work Fred & The Fantastic Tub-Tub by James Marangone and Zeb Soanes. Forging new partnerships across the arts Orpheus is developing a new live and digital concert series, Synergy, working with amongst others the Wallace Collection.

Orpheus has enjoyed collaborations with performers such as Dame Felicity Lott, Tasmin Little, Heinrich Schiff and our Patron, Sir Antonio Pappano. The orchestra has been invited to perform in many festivals including Windsor, Cheltenham, Newbury, Hampstead and Cambridge, welcomed soloists such as Sir Roderick Williams, Anne Sophie Duprels, Brindley Sherratt, Bryan Hymal and Jack Liebeck and toured The Snowman live to film at Christmas since 2018, including 2019 for the 40th anniversary tour, alongside our programme of core concerts in London. Orpheus Sinfonia has featured on BBC Radio 3, BBC World Service, Times Radio and released its debut CD on Signum Classics.