Welcome to our new Music Director!
ESO is excited to announce the appointment of our new Music Director, Matthew Andrews.
Matt is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where he studied composition with Professor Robert Saxton, piano with Susan Alexander-Max, and conducting with Alan Hazeldine. He received advanced tuition from composer Simon Bainbridge, and conductors Christopher Adey and Peter Stark.
Amongst many accomplishments and achievements, Matt has been a visiting conductor at the Junior Department of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and at Wells Cathedral School. He is a Musical Director within the Essex Youth Orchestras programme and has taught orchestral conducting technique at the Guildhall. He appears regularly as guest conductor with a range of ensembles and is an award-winning consultant in the creative industries, having led more than sixty projects across education, broadcasting and the performing arts.
In 2010 he was appointed as Principal Conductor of the Norwich Philharmonic Orchestra and appointed Principal Conductor of Prometheus Orchestra in 2022. For over twenty years, he has served as Artistic Director of the Resonate! McKinsey Music Festival in Kitzbühel.
Matt joins us following a term as ESO’s guest conductor during our 2025/26 programme and we are delighted that he will conclude the season for us with our next concert on Saturday 20 June. Click here to book tickets whats on | Essex Symphony Orchestra
WELCOME TO THE 2025/26 SEASON!
All concerts held in Christ Church, New London Road, Chelmsford.
Tickets £15 online*, £17 on the door.
*booking fees apply
20 June 2026
Bizet, Carmen Suite No.1; Schumann Cello Concerto (soloist- Kosta Popovic); Franck, Symphony in D minor with Conductor – Matthew Andrews
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Free Young People’s Orchestral Workshop
Free Young People’s Orchestral Workshop
Sunday 10th May 2026 at St John Payne School, Chelmsford
Essex Symphony Orchestra is delighted, once again, to invite young musicians to join them for a morning to enjoy orchestral playing alongside experienced players and under the guidance of professional conductor, Mr Robert Hodge (https://www.robert-hodge.com/)
The workshop is for pupils who learn an orchestral instrument in or out of school and who have passed Grade 1 to Grade 5. As last year, there will be just one session for everyone so that all players can enjoy the full orchestral sound created by the mix of beginner, intermediate and Grade 4/5 parts.
The workshop will be from 10.00 am – 1.00pm on Sunday 10th May 2026.
To comply with safeguarding guidelines, a parent or responsible adult will need to accompany their child to the workshop; in previous workshops, parents sat all around the edges of the hall and really enjoyed watching how the music came together.
If you would like your child to take part, please email:
Catherine Gunnett (member of Essex Symphony Orchestra) at bassoonplus@gmail.com with the following information:
- Child’s Name
- School’s Name
- Orchestral instrument (i.e. NOT piano, keyboard, guitar, recorder or saxophone). We do, however, have a few spaces for drummers who would like to play orchestral percussion.
- Grade attained
- Parent/carer phone number
You will then be given further details about the day, including the music that we will be playing so that you can choose the best ability level for your child and then they can practise it at home and with their instrumental tutor before the day of the workshop.
If you would like further information about the Essex Symphony Orchestra and to see pictures and a review of previous workshops, please visit our website, https://www.essexsymphony.org.uk/outreach/
Our annual workshops are very popular and there are limited places for each instrument, so please reply as soon as possible to secure your child’s participation.
We look forward to hearing from you!