A prestigious and diverse group of choral singers
A bit about us
The London Symphony Chorus is a world-class symphony chorus, based in the wonderfully diverse city of London, where we have been exciting and inspiring audiences and members alike since our formation in 1966.
Originally created to complement the work of the London Symphony Orchestra, today our vibrant chorus is made up of 160 amateur choral singers that partner with the very best conductors, orchestras and soloists across the globe.
We are a diverse, committed chorus that perform, record and commission ambitious and varied repertoire to the highest standard. We regularly perform with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Centre, as part of the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, and are fortunate to tour internationally, sharing our passion for choral music wherever we perform and creating inspiring and memorable experiences for our audiences.
Our city, Our sound,
Our passion
Alice Jones
Chair
Kevin Cheng
Jill Jones
Daniel Thompson
Sally Ho
Gill O’Neill
Simon Wales
Robert Garbolinski
Concerts Manager
Inspiring musical experiences for everyone, for over 50 years.
1966
The conception of the chorus
Conceived as the LSO chorus by Ernest Fleischmann, GM of London Symphony Orchestra, and John Alldis, Professor at Guildhall School of Music and Drama (GSMD). The chorus was formed of singers from GMSD and John Alldis was appointed Chorus Director.
1966
Decca Records and the Royal Festival Hall
The chorus recorded Mahler’s Symphony No 2 at Kingsway Hall for Decca Records with Sir Georg Solti and performed the symphony at its first concert the next day in the Royal Festival Hall.
1968
André Previn
Appointed as Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.
1969
Arthur Oldham
Appointed as Chorus Director of the London Symphony Chorus.
1971
Five years of the chorus
The chorus celebrated its 5th anniversary with a performance and recording of Tippett’s The Vision of St Augustine, with Sir Michael Tippett.
1976
The creation of the London Symphony Chorus
The London Symphony Chorus was established in its own right, 10 years after it was set up by the London Symphony Orchestra. Run by an elected council of nine volunteers and made up of mostly amateur choral singers, it continued to work primarily with the LSO.
1976
Richard Hickox
Appointed as Chorus Director of the London Symphony Chorus.
1979
Claudio Abbado
Appointed as Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.
1986
Twenty years of the chorus
The chorus celebrated its 20th anniversary with a performance and recording of Elgar’s The Music Makers, with Richard Hickox.
1988
HRH the Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales, becomes Patron of the London Symphony Orchestra, until 1996.
1988
Michael Tilson Thomas
Appointed Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.
1989
Guardian & Observer Awards
The London Symphony Chorus won the Guardian’s Choral Record of the Year with Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius and the Observer’s Choral Record of the Year with Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast, both with Richard Hickox.
1990
Gramophone Award
The chorus won the Reader’s Choral Record of the Year at the Gramophone Classic Music Awards with Rossini’s Stabat Mater, with Richard Hickox and the City of London Sinfonia.
1991
Stephen Westrop
Appointed as Chorus Director of the London Symphony Chorus.
1992
Grammy Award
The London Symphony Chorus won its first Grammy Award with Bernstein’s Candide, with Leonard Bernstein. The chorus also won the Best Music Theatre award at the Gramophone Classical Music Awards with the same piece, and the Grand Prix du Disque for Britten’s War Requiem/Ballad of Heroes, with Richard Hickox.
1995
Sir Colin Davis
Appointed Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.
1996
Thirty years of the chorus
The London Symphony Chorus marked its 30th anniversary with a Gala performance of Verdi’s Requiem, with Sir Colin Davis.
1997
Grammy & Gramphone Awards
The chorus won both a Grammy and a Gramophone Classic Music Award for Britten’s Peter Grimes, with Richard Hickox and the City of London Sinfonia.
2001
Joseph Cullen
Appointed as the Chorus Director of the London Symphony Chorus.
2001
Two Grammy Awards
The chorus won two Grammy awards for Berlioz Les Troyens, with Sir Colin Davis.
2005
New York Critics’ Award
The London Symphony Chorus won the New York Critics’ Best Concert Award with Verdi’s Requiem, with Sir Colin Davis.
2006
Grammy Award
The chorus won a Grammy award with Verdi’s Falstaff, with Sir Colin Davis.
2006
Forty years of the chorus
The chorus celebrated its 40th anniversary with a performance and recording of Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony, with Richard Hickox.
2006
Valery Gergiev
Appointed as Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.
2010
Grammy and Gramophone Awards
The London Symphony Chorus won a Grammy Award with Britten’s Billy Budd, with Daniel Harding, and a Gramophone Classical Music Award with Wagner’s Götterdämmerung, with Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé.
2012
Simon Halsey
Appointed as Chorus Director of the London Symphony Chorus.
2014
International Music Award
The chorus won an International Music Award for Berlioz’s Grande Messe des Morts, with Sir Colin Davis.
2015
South Bank Sky Arts Award
The London Symphony Chorus won the South Bank Sky Arts Award with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’s Symphony No 10, with Sir Antonio Pappano.
2016
Fifty years of the chorus
The chorus marked its 50th anniversary with a performance and recording of Haydn’s The Seasons, with Sir Simon Rattle.
2017
Sir Simon Rattle
Appointed as Music Director of the London Symphony Orchestra.
2020
Covid-19 outbreak
First national lockdown. The chorus continues with regular online rehearsals under Simon Halsey
2020
Covid-19 tribute
Online recording of Howard Goodall’s Never to Forget, a tribute to healthcare workers who died from Covid
2021
Between lockdowns
Tour to Monaco and Aix-en-Provence with Beethoven 9, with Kazuki Yamada
2021
Return of live concerts
The first live Barbican concert post-Covid: Julian Anderson’s Exiles, with Simon Rattle
2021
Royal Opera House
Singing backstage for The Dante Project, music for the ballet composed by Thomas Adés
2022
Maestro
Filming at Ely Cathedral and recording at Air Lyndhurst for Bradley Cooper’s Maestro, based on Leonard Bernstein’s life.
2023
Sir Antonio Pappano
Appointed Chief Conductor Designate of the London Symphony Orchestra
2023
Mariana Rosas
Appointed Chorus Director of the London Symphony Chorus