About Us

"As the world panics and looks for safe havens for its money, it's good to see the London Sinfonietta aren't losing their nerve."
Daily Telegraph, October 2008

Our mission is to place the best contemporary classical music at the heart of today’s culture; engaging and challenging the public through inspiring performances of the highest standard, and taking risks to develop new work and talent.

The London Sinfonietta is one of the world’s elite contemporary music ensembles with a reputation built on the virtuosity of its performances and ambitious programming. It is committed to placing new music at the heart of contemporary culture and pushing boundaries; the ensemble regularly undertakes projects with choreographers, video artists, film-makers and collaborations with electronica artists, jazz and folk musicians.

The creation of new music has been at the core of the London Sinfonietta’s work since its foundation in 1968. It has commissioned or premiered over 200 works, ranging from Luciano Berio, Harrison Birtwistle and Steve Reich to the emerging composers involved in its Blue Touch Paper project – including Tansy Davies, Larry Goves and Anna Meredith – an innovative initiative which gives the opportunity to take risks and develop ideas without the pressure of a public performance.

The London Sinfonietta also supports the development of young musicians. The very first London Sinfonietta Academy, a three day intensive course in which 15 talented young musicians selected from across the UK open auditions had the opportunity to gain experience and receive training in core contemporary repertoire, was held in July 2009. Conductor Elgar Howarth and Sinfonietta Principal Players provided the students with expert tuition and advice, as well as a very rare opportunity to rehearse and perform challenging pieces such as Harrison Birtwistle's Silbury Air as part of an ensemble.

The 2009-10 season will see the London Sinfonietta perform world premieres of new works by Harrison Birtwistle, Alexander Nowak, Claudia Molitor, Richard Barrett and Dai Fujikura, as well as UK premieres of pieces by John Adams, Paul Dresher, Wolfgang Rihm and Richard Ayres.

London Sinfonietta concert performances are increasingly being conceived as the centrepiece of a cluster of related projects and events. It was one of the first UK orchestras to explore the creative space where artistic and educational experiences meet and continues to break new ground in this field. The innovation and creativity experienced on the concert platform is reflected in the ensemble’s participation and interaction programme, which gives young artists - in sound design, animation and textiles, as well as music - the opportunity to work with the ensemble in a creative environment.

The London Sinfonietta is constantly seeking innovative ways of reaching out to new audiences. In August 2008 it launched the Culture Collective, a group of young artists working with the ensemble, with an event at Southbank Centre and its collaboration with Warp Records has now been heard by over 25,000 people across Europe and Singapore.

The London Sinfonietta is a Resident Orchestra of Southbank Centrein London, with its headquarters at Kings Place in north London. The ensemble regularly works with composer-conductors such as Oliver Knussen (its conductor laureate) and George Benjamin, as well as some of the finest interpreters of 20th and 21st-century repertoire including Diego Masson, Peter Eötvös and Martyn Brabbins. It continues to take the best contemporary music to venues and festivals throughout the UK and worldwide with a busy touring schedule; in 2009-10 the ensemble will visit cities in many countries including Poland, Mexico, Australia, Spain and Portugal.

A distinguished discography includes seminal recordings of many 20th-century classics on numerous prestigious labels as well as the ensemble's own London Sinfonietta Label. These CDs include the Jerwood Series featuring young British-based composers and a critically acclaimed live recording of Tōru Takemitsu’s Arc and Green. Jerwood 6, including commissions from James Olsen, Christian Mason, Larry Goves, Claudia Molitor and Kenneth Hesketh was released on 7 September 2009.