📆 Concert Date: Saturday 15th November 2026 📍Venue: St John’s Church, Boxmoor, HP1 1JY 🎟 Tickets at the door or online on the link below.
Our programme includes:
🎶 Maxwell Davies – An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise The English composer Peter Maxwell Davies spent his latter years in Orkney and drew inspiration from the area. Much of his work is challenging to listen to, but his Orkney Wedding is an entertaining piece featuring the bagpipes and a somewhat riotous wedding celebration.
🎶 Bruch – Scottish Fantasy, Soloist: Charlie Lovell-Jones (A Classic FM Rising Star) Max Bruch’s piece was written in 1880 following his study of Scottish folk music, but before his visit to Scotland a year later. It is written for solo violin and orchestra and almost qualifies as a concerto. Our soloist, Charlie Lovell-Jones, was voted one of Classic FM’s top 30 Rising Stars 2026.
🎶 Mendelssohn – Symphony No. 3 (“Scottish”) In 1829 Felix Mendelssohn visited Holyrood Chapel in Edinburgh and was inspired by its atmosphere to write a symphony. Colourful and full of contrasts, it evokes many aspects of Scotland, including its rugged landscapes. On the same trip he visited the Western Isles and later wrote his Hebrides Overture.
Conductor: David Smith Leader: Clive Hobday
Our bar will be open for wine and soft drinks before the event, and at the interval. 🎶 🍷 🎶
📆 Concert Date: Saturday 11th July 2026 📍Venue: St John’s Church, Boxmoor, HP1 1JY 🎟 Tickets at the door or online on the link below.
🎶 We are delighted to announce our final concert of this Season 🎶
Gonzalo Acosta – Violinist/Conductor
Uruguayan born Gonzalo Acosta moved to England when he was five years old. He studied Violin at the Royal College of Music with Jaroslav Vanecek and attended masterclasses with the Aeolian, Lasalle and Vermeer quartets.
At 21 he took up his first position as Principal Second Violin of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and after a short period of freelancing in London (mainly with the RPO, LPO, LSO and Philharmonia) he became Deputy Leader of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle. A period of further study followed in 1989 with Zakhar Bron in Lübeck, Germany. On returning to the UK Gonzalo guest led orchestras around the country. Orchestras abroad have included L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (Geneva), the Real Filharmonica de Galicia (Spain), the Bergen Philharmonic (Norway) and the Opera Orchestra of La Monnaie in Brussels and Orchestra Victoria in Melbourne.
In 1991 he joined as Co-Leader of the orchestra at English National Opera and in 2007 became Associate Leader. 1995 saw his solo debut with Mozart’s Violin Concerto no 5 K219 with the English Sinfonia. In 1994, Gonzalo gave the European Premiere of Uruguayan composer José Serebrier’s Solo Violin Sonata and was then invited to record this work by the composer. In 2000 he made his Uruguayan debut playing Serebrier’s Winter Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto.
Gonzalo is a member of the Dussek Piano Trio which performs at Music Societies and Festivals around the country as well as appearances at the Wigmore Hall and the Purcell Room in London. Recordings include the Arensky Trios and a CD of William Hurlestone’s chamber music.
For 13 years Gonzalo was a professor, Chamber and Orchestral coach at the Royal College of Music Junior Department and now has a similar role at the Guildhall School of Music also as Conductor and violin teacher. He has coached youth orchestras regularly (eg. National Childrens’ Chamber Orchestra, Harpenden Musicale, Kent, Norfolk and Essex County Youth Orchestras and the orchestra at Imperial College). Having adjudicated for the BBC Young Musician competition, Gonzalo has also adjudicated for competitions at the RCM Junior Department.
Alongside his playing Gonzalo’s conducting commitments continue to increase. Between 2008 and 2010 Gonzalo was Head of Strings at the Latymer Upper School, conducting the Chamber Orchestra. He has also conducted Full String rehearsals at RCMJD, RCM, RAM and GSMD. Gonzalo was Assistant Conductor of the English Schools Orchestra in 2013 and 2014 (Debussy Nocturnes, Mahler 1). At the RCMJD, Gonzalo conducted Sinfonia in a programme of Humperdinck, Sibelius and Delius. He also conducted the JD Symphony Orchestra and performed Rachmaninov’s Symphony no2 in December, 2015. In April 2017 Gonzalo conducted the Kent County Youth Orchestra (also directing Mozart’s Violin Concerto no3) and again in Dec 2017 with Vaughan Williams’s Symphony no2. Gonzalo has been Music Director of the Abbots Langley Orchestra since September 2015 and also Conductor of the Enfield Youth Symphony Orchestra beginning in 2022.
He also conducts the London Repertoire Orchestra regularly. Other guest conducting includes the Kingston Philharmonia, Kensington Philharmonic Orchestra, Watford Symphony Orchestra and the Trinity Orchestra. Gonzalo is Music Director of Grimsdyke Opera, conducting a different opera by Gilbert and Sullivan each month at Sullivan’s house in North London. In the Summer of 2016 Gonzalo won First Prize in the London Conducting Masterclass. In 2021 he conducted West Side Story with the English Schools Orchestra at St John’s Smith Square.
He has been Assistant Conductor to Simone Young with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. In March 2020 he conducted the Surrey Mozart Players at The Menuhin Hall.
Gonzalo is Head of Strings at Wycombe Abbey School, a role he has held for four years. He divides his time with teaching, conducting and a busy schedule of solo concertos.
📆 Date: Saturday 9th May 2026 📍Venue: St John’s Church, Boxmoor, HP1 1JY 🎟 Tickets at the door or online.
🎶 Schubert, Rosamunde Overture 🎶 Mahler, Songs of a Wayfarer 🎶 Mahler, Symphony No. 4
Conductor: David Smith Leader: Clive Hobday Soprano: Alison Langer (Songs of a Wayfarer)
Alison Langer, Soprano
Alison is a British Lyric Soprano with an ever growing presence in the operatic world. She made her debut at the Royal Opera House this summer, singing the role of Frasquita in Carmen Bizet.
Alison has performed at various UK and international opera houses, showcasing her talent and passion for singing Verdian roles. Notably, Alison received critical acclaim for her interpretations of Nedda in Pagliacci Leoncavallo, Gilda in Rigoletto Verdi and Violetta in La Traviata Verdi, performed at Opera Holland Park and Opera North. This year she has sung Pamina The Magic Flute Mozart Charles Court opera’s 20th anniversary production, Frasquita Carmen Bizet, Royal Ballet and Opera abd this summer, she performed Violetta La Traviata Verdiat Opera Holland Park.
Alison has taken on an eclectic range of roles in her career so far, such as Oscar in Un Ballo in Maschera (Opera Holland Park, Chelsea Opera Group), Lilly/Student 2 (cover) in Innocence by Sariaaho (Royal Opera House), Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart (Waterperry Opera Festival), Micaela in Carmen by Bizet (Opera North and Opera Holland Park), and First Niece in Peter Grimes by Britten (Royal Opera House).
In Musical Theatre, Alison starred in the 5* production of Follies Sondheimat the National Theatre, playing the role of Young Heidi alongside Dame Josephine Barstow, Dame Felicity Lott and Imelda Staunton. Other musical theatre roles include Nellie Forbush South Pacific and Sarah Brown Guys and Dolls for West Green House Opera.
TV includes the 2024 Olivier Awards and Series 3 Episode 4 of Victoria on ITV, performing the role of Jenny Lind. She also featured as a soloist with Isata Kennan Mason in the documentary ‘Fanny: The other Mendelssohn’ directed by Bafta award winning director Sheila Hayman.
Alison has showcased her talent on the concert platform, having been invited to perform with the Edvard Grieg Kor in Bergen, Norway, under the baton of Ed Gardner. She has performed at prestigious venues such as the Barbican Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, LSO St Luke’s, Buxton Opera House, Cadogan Hall, The House of Lords, The Ritz, and The Savoy.
🎼We are delighted to announce our next concert “Winter Daydreams” featuring music by Prokofiev, Khachaturian, Korsakov and the magical Symphony No.1 by Tchaikovsky ❄️ We look forward to sharing another lovely evening of music together and to welcome back Conductor David Smith!
📆Saturday 7th February 2026, 7:30pm 📍St John’s Church, Boxmoor HP1 1JY 🎟 Tickets at the door or online
🎼Join us for the first concert of this new season for an exciting evening of music featuring the all time favourite Grieg Piano concerto (with soloist Mario Miralles Garcia) and the spooky Saint-Saëns, Danse Macabre. 🎨We are performing the challenging Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition (orch.Ravel) and exhibiting Philip Worth’s paintings of the movements.
🎼Take a look at our 2025/2026 Season! 🎻Exciting programmes and soloists 🎟Season Tickets now available! Book now to secure a seat for each concert and a great deal
We are delighted to announce our final concert of this season: and evening of Classical Music featured in films
It’s going to be a relaxed early evening performance with some audience favourites and a great chance for little ones of learn a bit about the orchestra too!
We are looking forward to having our conductor Claudio Di Meo back and also to welcome guest conductor Eduardo Cedeño for this production
Sunday 13th July 2025, 5pm St John’s Church, Boxmoor HP1 1JY Tickets at the door or online
🎼Gentile pubblico, we are looking forward to sharing an evening of Italian music with you on Saturday 26th April at 7:30pm, St John’s Church, Boxmoor. Rosemary Cow will perform Nino Rota’s Bassoon Concerto, come to discover this beautiful instrument! We are welcoming conductor David Smith for this production and really looking forward to learning from him🎶
We are very excited to announce our next concert on 8th February featuring an all American repertoire including a Harp Concerto! We are looking forward to welcoming harpist Clara Gatti Comini who will play Màscaras by Arturo Màrquez.
🎼We are delighted to announce the first concert of the 2024/25 season! Join us for an evening of German music featuring Brahms, Humperdinck and the glorious Beethoven Piano Concerto No.5 “Emperor” showcasing the talented Alex Wyatt.🎹
We are delighted to announce our final concert of this season: and evening of Classical Music featured in films 
Sunday 13th July 2025, 5pm
St John’s Church, Boxmoor HP1 1JY
Tickets at the door or online
