Southbank Sinfonia

Southbank Sinfonia is an orchestra of outstanding young professionals described by The Times as ‘a dashing ensemble who play with exhilarating fizz, exactness and stamina’. The orchestra was founded in 2002 by Music Director Simon Over to provide graduate musicians with a much-needed springboard into the profession. Every year, 33 outstanding graduate musicians come to London for Southbak Sinfonia’s nine-month fellowship, providing unparalleled opportunities to gain crucial experience in orchestral repertoire, chamber music, opera, dance and theatre. To date, more than 450 musicians have completed the programme, many going on to enjoy exciting careers with major orchestras worldwide. Integral to the programme are the orchestra’s creative partnerships with leading performing arts organisations including the Royal Opera, National Theatre, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and acclaimed artists such as Patrons Vladimir Ashkenazy and Edward Gardner. Performing side-by-side with world-class artists gives Southbank Sinfonia’s musicians first-hand experience of what it takes to be a professional today. After completing the fellowship, players are frequently invited back to create an orchestra of symphonic proportions, to or embark on a variety of exciting artistic ventures beyond those in the programme. Complementing concerts in London, Europe and beyond, the orchestra frequently collaborates across genres, creating music in theatrical and unconventional settings. In recent projects such as appearing centre-stage in the National Theatre’s revival of Amadeus, to giving the first ever performance of Mozart’s Requiem at Notre-Dame, Southbank Sinfonia ensures new generations uphold a venerable tradition, but also asks anew what orchestras have the power to communicate in the modern world.

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