About Us

Finchley Symphony Orchestra is a successful non-professional orchestra in north London with Music Director Christopher Stark. We give 5 high standard concerts a year and are constantly looking for new challenges and opportunities.

Our repertoire is wide, recent seasons including large-scale pieces such as Nielsen's Symphony No. 2, Copland's Appalachian Spring and the newly rediscovered Symphony in B minor by Kashperova alongside works such as Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings and symphonies by Beethoven. Regular concerts with Finchley Chamber Choir have included ‘Zadok the Priest’, Stravinsky’s Mass and Elgar's 'The Music Makers'.

We work with fine young soloists many of whom, including Tasmin Little and Valeriy Sokolov, have attained international status. We also work with young composers and have given first performances of pieces by George Holloway and Richard Bullen. Most of our concerts are in Finchley and we have performed at the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition, Hampstead Garden Suburb music festival and St John’s Smith Square. In 2018 we made our first visit to St James's Piccadilly - see the talented Asagi Nakata playing Tchaikowsky's first piano concerto: FSO at St James's

We rehearse weekly. We work hard but like to remain friendly and there is a social side to our orchestra. For new members there is no membership fee in your first term with us.

Listen to excerpts from some recent concerts:

• Beethoven 'Eroica' Symphony, 3rd movement (2016):

• De Falla 'Ritual Fire Dance' from El Amor Brujo (2016):

• Fauré 'Dolly Suite' - Kitty-valse (2017)

• Tchaikovsky Capriccio Italien - conclusion (2018)

• Enigma variations 10 & 11 (2019)

The voice of Tom Hammond

Back in the first Covid lockdown Tom Hammond, our previous Music Director who died tragically young, recorded two fascinating podcasts. To hear his thoughts on conducting and how he became a conductor click on these links:

part 1a :::: part 1b :::: part 2 :::: part 3