Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra

The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra is the first full symphony orchestra in Portsmouth, with around 80 players with a total mix of abilities from rusty returners, through to professional musicians, and everyone in between.

Founded in 2008 by conductor/ violinist Ian Brightman, this is the first major attempt at having a full piece orchestra in the city, since the disbandment of the Portsmouth Sinfonia in 1982, with the purpose of reaching out and making classical music more accessible to the general public.

The range of music the orchestra play is primarily Romantic to Modern but we intend to tackle some more popular music including a whole evening dedicated to film scores in the next year or so. We are also looking to twin with the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra (Ohio, New Hampshire) with the aim of performing guest concerts, and the playing of a major concert involving both orchestras either in its resident Portsmouth England or in Ohio.

We also have a commitment to furthering music education in the city and will be addressing this with a series of master classes and other various activities to make younger people interested in learning classical instruments.