The Canterbury Orchestra (renamed Canterbury Symphony Orchestra in 2024) dates back to 1953, giving its first concert in 1954. We will be celebrating our 70th anniversary in 2024.
We have retained a simple vision of our role throughout our existence. We believe that cities and towns should have an active cultural life which includes an orchestra capable of performing classical music to a good standard. The orchestra is a community-based society, whose members come from all walks of life but live in our area. We have members who are professional musicians as well as those who are capable amateurs, enjoying musical performance with a passion.
We typically follow the school year, with a concert each term. For the last decade we have made the Colyer-Fergusson hall at the University of Kent our venue for concerts. It is a fine, modern and adaptable venue purpose-built for performances such as ours.
We are keen to offer a wide and appealing repertoire. We are equally comfortable playing works from Mozart to Gershwin. We recognise that the repertoire must appeal to local people, and not just to the performers! We provide a platform for other talented performers, including soloists and other partners.
