Founded in 2009, Orpheus Sinfonia has grown into one of the UK’s most dynamic and imaginative orchestras. From the outset, its mission has been twofold: to create outstanding musical experiences for audiences, and to provide vital opportunities for emerging professional musicians at the beginning of their careers.

Our beginnings

From 1978 and to this day a Christmas Charity Event  “Story of Christmas” takes place at  St Georges Hanover Square. The church asked the Story of Christmas charity in 2008 for help in raising money for the church. Small concerts, with musicians playing gratis were put on in 2008/2009 to benefit the church. At this point the opportunity to support young musicians became the priority and Orpheus Sinfonia Foundation was founded in 2009.

The name “Orpheus” was chosen from Greek mythology, in reference to the legendary Thracian bard and musician whose transformative music could charm all living things. From the outset, the orchestra was dedicated to nurturing the finest young talent. Thomas Carroll was appointed as the Artistic Director in 2012, and since then the orchestra has continued to flourish.

Our defining moments

Orpheus quickly developed a reputation for adventurous programming, technical brilliance, and a spirit of innovation that extends beyond the concert hall. Collaborations with world-class artists such as Dame Felicity Lott, Tasmin Little, Heinrich Schiff, and its patron Sir Antonio Pappano helped cement its place on the national stage, while high-profile invitations have taken the orchestra to venues including the Royal Festival Hall, London Coliseum, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Hackney Empire, Windsor Castle, and festivals such as Windsor, Cheltenham, Newbury, and Cambridge.

Opera has played a defining role in the orchestra’s story. From 2017, Orpheus was the official orchestra of the International Opera Awards, while acclaimed productions at Grimeborn, Iford Arts, Scherzo Ensemble and West Green House Opera brought widespread critical recognition. Its reimagined staging of Wagner’s Ring Cycle with the Arcola Theatre was hailed as bold and ground-breaking, with Das Rheingold named one of the Evening Standard’s Top 10 of 2019 and subsequent productions receiving Offies nominations.

Always eager to embrace new ideas and platforms, Orpheus has produced over fifty online concerts through its Adjourned and Synergy series, forging partnerships with the Wallace Collection and connecting with audiences worldwide. These projects provided vital creative opportunities for musicians and expanded the orchestra’s reach beyond the traditional concert hall.

Recent highlights include performing at the Platinum Jubilee Concert for the late HM The Queen, playing for major film premieres including Avatar: The Way of Water, Tár and Chevalier, and commissioning Fred and the Fantastic Tub-Tub, a landmark interactive children’s symphonic work premiered at the Southbank Centre’s London Literature Festival in 2023.

Today, Orpheus Sinfonia continues to build on its rich history—an orchestra shaped by creativity, collaboration, and a constant belief in the transformative power of music.