Founded in 1978 as the English String Orchestra by conductor William Boughton, the orchestra was first based in Malvern and quickly established a reputation for its performances of music in the English Romantic and national styles prevalent in the early decades of the 20th century. Over time, the English String Orchestra's embrace of larger works, especially those requiring woodwind, brass or percussion, caused its adoption of the name English Symphony Orchestra to reflect its often augmented instrumentation. Partnerships with other British or British-based musicians of great renown, including Nigel Kennedy, Stephen Isserlis, Daniel Hope and John Lill helped bring the orchestra national recognition. The orchestra came to international attention throughout the 1980s and 1990s in large part due to their series of recordings for Nimbus Records, in particular, their advocacy for the works of early- and mid- 20th C. British music by composers like Arnold Bax, Frank Bridge, Butterworth, John Ireland, Gerald Finzi and Lennox Berkeley as well as more mainstream figures like Britten, Elgar and Vaughan Williams. The ESO continue to record for Nimbus but also work with the Naxos, Avie, Somm, Toccata and Signum record labels. Since the appointment of Kenneth Woods in 2013, the orchestra has extended their longstanding commitment to British music to include a major commitment to 21st Century British music. In addition to their own active commissioning programme, the ESO work closely with soloists, festivals and record labels to develop co-commissioning projects. In 2017, the ESO launched the 21st Century Symphony Project, and effort to reinvigorate the modern symphonic repertoire by commissioning, premiering and recording nine symphonies by nine leading composers. The project began with the premiere of Philip Sawyers' Third Symphony in 2017 and continues in 2018 with the premieres of David Matthews' Ninth Symphony and Matthew Taylor's Fifth Symphony. Under Woods' leadership the orchestra has also taken an active role in promoting the music of composers whose music was suppressed by the Nazi's before and during World War II. This has led to influential performances and recordings of works by Ernst Krenek, Hans Gal, Michael Tippett and Viktor Ullmann.
Leading personnel
served as the orchestra's Principal Guest Conductor throughout the 1990s, leading the ESO on several international tours. Conductor Vernon Handley succeed Boughton in 2006 and served as the orchestra's Principal Conductor until his death in 2008. Kenneth Woods was appointed as the orchestra's third Principal Conductor in 2013. In 2016, his remit was expanded to Artistic Director. Philip Sawyers is the orchestra's "John McCabe Composer-in-Association" and Matthew Sharp is Artist in Residence. The ESO's Leader is violinist Zoe Beyers.
Premieres and commissions
arr. Kenneth Woods- Piano Quartet no. 2 in A major, arr. for Symphony Orchestra Nimrod Borenstein- Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and Strings, opus 74 Emily Doolittle- falling still for Violin and Strings Emily Doolittle- green/blue Elgar arr. Donald Fraser- Piano Quintet arr. for Symphony Orchestra Elgar arr. Donald Fraser- Sea Pictures, version for choir and strings Robert Fokkens- An Eventful Morning in London, Concerto for Violin and Chamber Orchestra Hans Gal- Concertino for Cello and Strings Geoffrey Gordon- Saint Blue, Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and Strings Jesse Jones- Smith Square Dances John Joubert- Jane Eyre, An Opera Ernst Krenek- Concerto for Two Pianos Ernst Krenek- Double Concerto for Violin, Piano and Orchestra Ernst Krenek- Piano Concerti no.'s 1-4 David Matthews- Romanza for Violin and Strings Paul Patterson- Allusions, Concerto for Two violins and Strings Deborah Pritchard- Seven Halts on the Somme, Concerto for Trumpet, Harp and Strings Deborah Pritchard- Wall of Water, Concerto for Violin and Strings Kaija Saariaho- Terra memoria Robert Saxton- The Resurrection of the Soldiers Philip Sawyers- Concerto for Trumpet, Strings and Timpani Philip Sawyers- Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Philip Sawyers- Elegiac Rhapsody for Trumpet and Strings in Memory of John McCabe Philip Sawyers- Fanfare Philip Sawyers- Songs of Loss and Regret Philip Sawyers- Symphony no. 3 Philip Sawyers- The Valley of Vision, Tone Poem for Orchestra Viktor Ullmann arr. Kenneth Woods- Chamber Symphony, arr. of String Quartet no. 3 for String Orchestra Kenneth Woods- The Ugly Duckling for Narrator and Orchestra Toby Young- The Art of Dancing, Suite for Trumpet, Piano and Strings
