Leeds Symphony Orchestra is one of the oldest established

symphony orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, ce ...

s in the United Kingdom dating back to 1890. It is a non-professional orchestra based in Leeds, Yorkshire, with a membership of around 80

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. Up to ten concerts a year are given at venues including Leeds, Knaresborough, Wetherby and Horsforth. The orchestra's repertoire in recent years has ranged from seventeenth-century music to present-day works.

Conductor

Martin Binks was the orchestra's conductor for 49 years from September 1970 to December 2019, making him one of the longest-serving conductors in the UK. He introduced a notable quantity of French music into the orchestra's repertoire, for which the French government appointed him Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1993. He was also appointed MBE in 2014 for services to music in Yorkshire.

President

Classical guitarist Craig Ogden is the orchestra's honorary president, having appeared with the orchestra on many previous occasions. His association with the orchestra includes the first performance, in November 2000, of Arthur Butterworth's Guitar Concerto, a work commissioned by the orchestra.

Notable soloists

* John McCabe (composer), piano *

Marat Bisengaliev Marat Bisengaliev ( kk, Marat Sämetūly Bisenğaliev, born 1962 in Kazakhstan) is a Kazakh violinist and conductor of both the West Kazakhstan Philharmonic Orchestra and TuranAlem Kazakhstan Philharmonic Orchestra. He is the founding Music Dire ...

, violin * Craig Ogden, guitar

References

External links

Leeds Symphony Orchestra Official Web Site
* Video & sound recording engineer
Glyn Wainwright
English orchestras Musical groups from Leeds Musical groups established in 1890 1890 establishments in England British symphony orchestras Arts organizations established in 1890 {{Orchestra-stub