We’re delighted to tell you about a very exciting development for St John’s Smith Square. We are combining our energy and resources with a dynamic and inspirational orchestra, the Southbank Sinfonia. The two charities (Southbank Sinfonia and St John’s Smith Square) are merging into one new organisation thereby providing a vibrant and permanent home for a unique programme of first-class creative musical development. The orchestra’s programme will in turn provide a creative bedrock from which the year round artistic programme of St John’s Smith Square will continue to grow and flourish.
As one new charity, Southbank Sinfonia at St John’s Smith Square will create a hub for world-class musical development, placing emerging talent at the heart of the organisation. It will offer a permanent home for a renowned orchestral fellowship programme and act as a beacon for the future of classical music, embracing versatility and innovation in everything from great symphonies to bold new musical adventures.
The pandemic has created an exceptional range of challenges for the arts and culture and its effects have been felt particularly acutely by those on the brink of their careers, where so many opportunities have been lost. Both Southbank Sinfonia and St John’s Smith Square have proved their resilience and inventive flexibility during these challenging times, creating new possibilities and experiences and reacting with agility and creativity. Inspired to achieve sustainability by coming together, Southbank Sinfonia at St John’s Smith Square will be a catalyst for hope and renewal, giving a home to the next generation of orchestral musicians and embedding a creative community at our iconic concert hall in the heart of Westminster.
Southbank Sinfonia at St John’s Smith Square will deliver an annual programme of orchestral training and development, incorporating workshops, projects and concerts that engage communities in the joy and benefits of music-making. The well-established and much-loved programme of regular festivals (eg. Christmas Festival, Holy Week Festival & London Festival of Baroque Music) will continue, as will the programme of exciting concerts and events from professional, community and education partners.
Simon Over, Music Director of Southbank Sinfonia and Richard Heason as Director of St John’s Smith Square will lead the new organisation as Co-Directors. Southbank Sinfonia will make St John’s Smith Square its home from April 2021, with a livestreamed Rush Hour concert on Thursday 15 April - the first in a new series - and it is anticipated that the merger will be fully effected by the summer of 2021.