Britten Sinfonia

05/10/2026

Everyone can be moved by classical music.

In late October and November we’ll be taking our spectacular, immersive and inclusive Surround Sound Playlist to Cabterbury, Ely, Norwich, Peterborough and Lincoln cathedrals thanks to a Lottery-funded touring grant from Arts Council England.

We’ll be performing alongside Tenebrae Choir, soloists Will Pound Amy Dickson and Joseph Tawadros AM - Oud Virtuoso and Composer as well as leisure-time, professional and young people’s ensembles Cambridge Community Chorus, Coleridge Community College musicians, St Peter's Singers Peterborough Music Hub - PMH Young Musicians, Lincoln Choral Society and Lincoln Cathedral Choir.

We're already working intensively with the young people who are co-creating new work with us.

Surround Sound Playlist is a format designed to remove many of the perceived barriers to attending classical events and is aimed at inspiring both classical first-timers and those who already love classical music. Last year's three-city tour produced striking results, with a remarkable 36% of bookers reporting that at least one person in their group had never been to a classical concert before.

Give one of the performances a try. They are all Pay What You Can, from £6! Find out more:
https://www.brittensinfonia.com/stories/surround-sound-playlist-performances-in-2026

23/09/2026

The film of our premiere performance with The Sixteen in Rome's Sistine Chapel of James MacMillan's new oratorio Angels Unawares is now available to watch on YouTube!

On today’s International Day of Peace, the Genesis Foundation is pr...

18/09/2026

A longer watch for the weekend: the wonderful Natalie Haynes: Stand Up Classicist and Helen Charlston - Mezzo Soprano who will both join us for our Ancient Greek Meze tour in October, talk about the female characters from Greek mythology that Helen will portray.

Enjoy, and book tickets here: https://www.brittensinfonia.com/events/britten-sinfonia-ancient-greek-meze-with-special-guest-stand-up-classicist-natalie-haynes

03/09/2026

Taking our work into a new hospital!

Yesterday was a wonderful celebration of our first five-week residency in the Neurology ward of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, a collaboration with its Environmental Arts team.

We were delighted to welcome the BBC Look East, Norwich team to follow us around the hospital. You can watch the feature from 21 minutes 45 seconds into the programme on BBC iPlayer until 6.30pm this evening:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m003127c/look-east-evening-news-02092026

01/09/2026

What performer could resist such sweet composer charm? ✨

Amy Bryce and cellist Laura van der Heijden are one of three composer–soloist pairings who have been workshopping concertos-in-progress today, alongside Jonathan Woolgar and horn player Martin Owen and _toby_anderson and pianist .

The three composers will have their pieces premiered at the 2026 edition of our annual Magnum Opus Composer Showcase, which takes place on 14 November at Ishmael King London. Tickets will be free but booking will be required. Booking opens very soon!

The concerto workshop day is always one of our favourites of the year, with huge committment and support for the composers from our players, conductor Tom Fetherstonhaugh and Magnum Opus programme directors Freya and . The three unfinished pieces are sounding brilliant – exciting, engaging and highly contrasting!

21/07/2026

Seen and want to delve further into Greek mythology? Our concert tour is for you.

Charismatic mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston - Mezzo Soprano joins the orchestra in music from three centuries inspired by ancient Greek mythology, bringing the richly complex characters Phaedra, Medea and Ariadne to vivid life. Oh, and Odysseus makes a cameo appearance too!

The stories are tragic, but in the company of acclaimed classicist, author, broadcaster and “reformed comedian” Natalie Haynes: Stand Up Classicist, whose 12th series of "Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics" starts on BBC Radio 4 next week, there will be tears of laughter too...

Book early and get the best seats for just £25 (£12.50 for under 30s):
https://www.brittensinfonia.com/events/britten-sinfonia-ancient-greek-meze-with-special-guest-stand-up-classicist-natalie-haynes

18/06/2026

Blame it on the goddesses...
The divine giving voice to Phaedra's divine excuses for her behaviour in Britten's visceral late micro-opera.

It is wonderful to be back at the Aldeburgh Festival on a couple of sunshine and rainbow-filled days, giving performances with the magnificent .vd.heijden and , both of which have been broadcast live on .

You can listen to both performances on BBC Sounds via the links in our in bio.

16/06/2026

“Children who are sometimes reticent to join in, children who have yet to find their voice, children who are only just starting their musical journey – all were totally immersed in the lead up lessons and then on the performance day.”

We recently premiered a new schools’ concert, The Tale of the Whale, in 25 Peterborough primary schools and 8 in Fenland, before performing it with Gladstone Primary Academy Discovery Primary Academy Hampton Lakes primary William Law CE Primary School and Duke of Bedford Primary School at the city’s Peterborough Celebrates day.

Read teacher Rachel Moorhouse’s blog about the project here: https://www.brittensinfonia.com/stories/schools-project-reaches-33-schools-and-city-celebration-day

Based on author Karen Swann and illustrator Padmacandra’s picture book, the show follows a child and a humpback whale 🐋 on a journey across oceans polluted by plastic, with new music commissioned from Raph Clarkson Music and presented by Sheena Masson.

Thank you to Peterborough Music Hub - PMH Peterborough Cultural Alliance Nene Park Trust Arts Council England Orchestras Live for co-funding the project with us.

03/06/2026

Wonderful to perform James MacMillan's powerful new oratorio, Angels Unawares, last night at after giving the world premiere at Rome's Sistine Chapel with and .
Read Daniel Lewis's ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review in The Times

˖°📷༘ .allan.photos

18/05/2026

★★★★ - The Guardian. A wonderful start to our performances of Britten, Copland and Bowles at Kings Place on Saturday with soloists Huw Watkins, Elizabeth Watts and Oleg Shebeta-Dragan.

See us at The Apex Bury St Edmunds on Tuesday 19th or The Halls Norwich as part of Norfolk & Norwich Festivalest on Wednesday 20th!