Orion Orchestra

Who we are

ORION ORCHESTRA

Patron: HRH Princess Michael of Kent

President: Lady Solti

Chariman: Sir Thomas Boyd-Carpenter

CEO : Jan Cassidy

Artistic Director: Toby Purser

Orchestra Manager: Denis Cassidy

Founded in 2005 by conductor Toby Purser, the Orion Orchestra exists to promote the best young musicians in the country.  With its members selected from the most talented music college students and recent graduates, it gives its musicians the experience of working under professional conditions at all of London’s leading concert venues.

As orchestra in residence at the Aberystwyth International MusicFest, the orchestra also provides unique experience to student conductors and composers. It awards annually both a Conductors Prize and a Young Conductors Bursary, supported by the Richard Carne Trust. Additionally, in 2012 and 2015 it awarded Composers Prizes. One of their key initiatives is the special concert series for children, ‘Noisy Notes’, presented and conducted by Sue Perkins, and aimed at inspiring the next generation of young musicians.

Since the orchestra’s formation ten years ago for ‘A Night Under the Stars’, notable soloists have included Simon Trypceski, Joanna MacGregor, Miloš, Julian Lloyd Webber, Tasmin Little, Susan Gritton, Anne Murray, Nicola Benedetti, Valeriy Sokolov, Jack Liebeck, Tom Poster and Guy Johnston. They have also been conducted by Edward Gardner in two concerts at the Royal Festival Hall.

Aside from classical repertoire, they have recently toured and recorded Rick Wakeman’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth, King Arthur at the O2, a CD of Symphonic Pink Floyd, and a further DVD released last year of music by John Lord, recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall.