Photo Andrew Pennill LRPS
About Us
We are a weekly rehearsing amateur orchestra which plays a major role in the classical music of the City and County of Nottingham. Under the expert and enthusiastic guidance of our new Musical Director, Mark Prescott, and leader, Tim Boswell, we have been described as "arguably the premier amateur orchestra in Britain" (Sunday Telegraph Magazine). Mark has been appointed to lead the Orchestra in an exciting new chapter following the retirement of Derek Williams in July 2023 after forty hugely successful seasons.
We normally play four concerts each year. Our repertoire spans all types of classical music and the choice of programmes is varied and challenging but always popular. In addition to local artists and a number of winners of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition we have featured internationally known soloists in our concerts. In November 2003 the Orchestra were privileged to play with the internationally acclaimed violinist, Dong-Suk Kang, and in July 2002 were invited to play a major part in Nottingham's Golden Jubilee celebrations, playing to HM The Queen at the Nottingham Ice Centre. The Orchestra made a very sucessful debut in Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall in May 2004, joining forces with Nottingham Festival Opera and the acclaimed Opera Babes. Later in the year the NSO appeared in an episode of the BBC1 drama A thing called love. On 20th May 2006 NSO returned to the Royal Concert hall for another successful visit in a concert featuring Aled Jones and Keedie.
More recently the Orchestra has had the privilege of welcoming Jane Watts (September 2006), Alexei Grynyuk (November 2006, November 2008, March 2010, November 2011), Nicola Benedetti (November 2010), Guy Johnston (March 2012), Chloé Hanslip (March 2013), Craig Ogden (July 2013), Rachel Nicholls (March 2014), Laura van der Heijden (January 2015, January 2016), Clare Hammond (March 2004, July 2005, November 2014, November 2019) and many others, to perform.
We rehearse on Monday evenings at the Becket School in West Bridgford, Nottingham and are always on the look-out for talented, enthusiastic players to join the team. Members of the orchestra pay an annual subscription.
For a few more details of the Orchestra's early history click here.