Projects & Partnerships
Delivering world-class performances through collaboration, experience and adaptability.
Making Music That Matters
The English Chamber Orchestra delivers world-class performance through the collective excellence of its musicians, making music with clarity, energy, and insight. We present concerts across the UK and internationally, record and share our work globally, and collaborate with leading artists to bring the classical repertoire to audiences today.
Alongside our artistic work, we build long-term partnerships with schools, communities, and organisations, creating meaningful opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to engage with and participate in music.
We are also committed to identifying and nurturing emerging talent, supporting the development of future musicians, conductors, and artistic leaders.
Through this work, we sustain artistic excellence, broaden access to music and contribute to the cultural life of communities in the UK and around the world.
Supporting The Next Generation
Our UNESCO award-winning Close Encounters programme creates meaningful opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to engage with music in creative and accessible ways. Recognised with the UNESCO-supported Global 2025 Seeds of Hope for a Better Future Award, the programme brought together students, artists, and educators in a cross-disciplinary project exploring themes of peace and sustainability through animation, music, and performance.
At its core, Close Encounters is rooted in building strong local connections. Through long-term partnerships with schools, communities, and cultural organisations, we embed the Orchestra within the communities we serve, ensuring a sustained and meaningful presence. This approach enables us to deliver lasting impact, inspire creativity, and broaden access to music for those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to engage.
Alongside this work, our Young Directors Scheme supports the development of the next generation of conductors and artistic leaders. Through mentorship, professional development, and performance opportunities with the Orchestra, the scheme provides a vital platform for emerging talent, helping to shape the future of the classical music sector while fostering new artistic voices and perspectives.
Working in Artistic Partnership
At the heart of all our work is a commitment to building meaningful artistic partnerships, with the musicians of the English Chamber Orchestra central to the music-making process. Our players are at the forefront of everything we do and we take great pride in showcasing their artistry, individuality, and collective excellence. Drawing on their experience and insight, we foster a collaborative environment in which artistic ideas can develop organically. This approach allows us to respond flexibly to each project, creating performances that are both distinctive and deeply connected. By placing our musicians at the centre of these partnerships, we ensure that every collaboration is shaped by a shared sense of purpose, musical integrity and creative dialogue.
Upcoming Projects
Beethoven with Domenico Codispoti
Arriaga Overture in D Major
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4
Beethoven Symphony No. 4
We present this programme in Castellón and at the Úbeda Festival under the direction of Roberto Forés Veses, with pianist Domenico Codispoti as soloist. Opening at the Auditori i Palau de Congressos de Castelló, the programme begins with Arriaga’s Overture in D major, before moving to Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, noted for its lyrical dialogue between soloist and orchestra. We then bring the programme to the Hospital de Santiago Auditorium in Úbeda, concluding with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4, a work full of energy, wit and momentum, presented across two distinctive concert settings.
Haydn with Steven Isserlis
Arriaga Overture in D Major
Haydn Cello Concerto No. 2 in D
Beethoven Symphony No. 4
As part of the same Spanish tour, we bring this programme to Pamplona and San Sebastián under the direction of Roberto Forés Veses, with Steven Isserlis as soloist. Performances at the Baluarte Auditorium in Pamplona and the Kursaal Auditorium in San Sebastián open with Arriaga’s Overture in D major, followed by Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 2 in D, showcasing Isserlis’s distinctive musical voice. The programme concludes with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4, bringing energy, clarity and momentum to these performances across two of Spain’s leading concert venues.
Torroella & Santander with Elisabeth Leonskaja
Haydn Symphony No. 44 “Trauer”
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 12
Schubert Symphony No. 5
Our fourth visit to Spain this Spring/Summer sees us perform at the Torroella de Montgrí Festival and the Santander Festival under the direction of Marzena Diakun, with Elisabeth Leonskaja as soloist. Bringing together Haydn’s dramatic Symphony No. 44 “Trauer”, Mozart’s elegant Piano Concerto No. 12, and Schubert’s lyrical Symphony No. 5, the programme explores Classical style through clarity, balance and expressive depth. Presented across two of Spain’s leading festivals, it highlights both the refinement and vitality of this repertoire.
Recent Projects
Serenades for Strings
Elgar Serenade for Strings
Britten Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge
Dag Wiren Serenade for Strings
Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings
This programme, directed by Stephanie Gonley, explores the rich evolution of writing for string orchestra through a sequence of contrasting yet complementary works. From the elegance and warmth of Elgar’s Serenade for Strings to the inventive brilliance of Britten’s Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, the programme highlights both tradition and innovation within the repertoire. Dag Wirén’s Serenade for Strings brings a distinctive clarity and rhythmic vitality, while Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings offers sweeping lyricism and emotional depth. Together, these works create a compelling journey through different musical voices and styles, unified by the expressive possibilities of the string orchestra. Trey Lee and Hong Kong Musicus Society
Tchaikovsky Chant d’Automne (arr. Sherman)
Beethoven Symphony No. 6 ‘Pastoral’ (arr. Fischer)
Piazzolla Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas (arr. Lee)
Telemann Viola Concerto in G Major
Strauss Pizzicato Polka
Coleridge-Taylor Noveletten
We toured to Hong Kong in collaboration with the Musicus Society, performing with cellist Trey Lee under the direction of Stephanie Gonley. Concerts at Hong Kong City Hall and Tuen Mun Town Hall featured a varied programme ranging from Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony to Piazzolla’s Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas, alongside additional repertoire including Telemann, Strauss, and Coleridge-Taylor. Alongside the performances, we delivered ensemble training, rehearsals, and masterclasses with local students, reflecting a strong commitment to education and cultural exchange throughout the tour.
Newbury Spring Festival & Cadogan Hall
Mendelssohn Hebrides Overture ‘Fingal’s Cave’
Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor
Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3 ‘Scottish’
Schumann Symphony No. 3
We performed at the Newbury Spring Festival and Cadogan Hall under the direction of Roberto Forés Veses, with pianists Emanuil Ivanov and Alon Kariv. The programme combined Mendelssohn’s evocative Hebrides Overture and expansive Scottish Symphony with Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1, alongside Schumann’s Symphony No. 3. Across both performances, the repertoire showcased a rich blend of Romantic orchestral writing, balancing lyrical expression with dramatic scale. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} Musika-Música Festival in Bilbao
A selection of Baroque and Classical repertoire over two short concerts
We appeared at the Musika-Música Festival in Bilbao with two contrasting programmes celebrating Baroque and early Classical repertoire. Across these performances, we brought together works by Boyce, Pachelbel, Telemann, Purcell, Handel, and Bach, highlighting the richness and variety of the period—from the elegance of Handel’s concerti grossi and the brilliance of Water Music, to the lyricism of Telemann’s Viola Concerto and the enduring appeal of Pachelbel’s Canon. Presented in two short concerts, the programmes offered a concise and engaging exploration of the style, character, and expressive range of this repertoire. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
Handel Concerto Grosso No. 11 in A Major, Op. 6
Bach Concerto for Oboe and Violin in C minor
Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Vivaldi The Four Seasons
Directed by Stephanie Gonley, with Juliana Koch as soloist, this programme brings together a vibrant selection of Baroque and early Classical repertoire shaped by Stephanie’s inspired and stylistically authentic approach. From the elegance and poise of Handel’s Concerto Grosso No. 11 and the finely balanced interplay of Bach’s Concerto for Oboe and Violin in C minor, to the charm and clarity of Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, the programme culminates in Vivaldi’s ever-popular Four Seasons. Together, these works highlight the orchestra’s expressive vitality, precision, and natural affinity with this repertoire.