Archive

Banbury Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1961, and gave its first concert on May 31st 1961 in what was then Banbury Grammar School (now Wykham Park Academy), playing works by Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn.

Initially the orchestra played mainly works from the classical period, but as the orchestra grew in size during the 1970s, the repertoire also expanded to include more works from the romantic era. A detailed list of all the past concerts of the orchestra is available here

​

Conductors

Conductors of the orchestra and their periods directing the orchestra are shown below:

1. Paul Willett: 1995 - present

2. Raymond Head: 1987 - 1995

3. John Esaias: 1987

4. Shauna Kelham Gardner: 1986 - 1987

5. Philip Shaw: 1980 - 1986

6. Robert Secret: 1977 - 1979

7. Donald Simpson: 1975 - 1977

8. Christopher Waltham: 1974 - 1975

9. Christopher Bochmann: 1971 - 1973

10. Malcolm B. Sergeant: 1968 - 1970

11. Ian Bartlett: 1967

12. Noel De Jongh: 1964 - 1966

13. Malcolm B. Sergeant: 1961 - 1963

​

Leaders

Leaders of the orchestra have been:

1. Anna Fleming: 2000 - present

2. Geoff Kent: 1983 - 2000

3. Lawrence Farbrother: 1966 - 1983

4. Harry Wilks: 1964 - 1965

5. Jean Alington: 1962 - 1963

6. J. Hutchings: 1961 - 1962

​

Concert Archive

A list of all the past concerts of the orchestra is available here.

​