The English Chamber Orchestra, formed in 1960,enjoys an international reputation as one of the world's most celebrated ensembles. The Orchestra undertakes a busy annual schedule of concert appearances, which include its prestigious London series. Overseas touring fills approximately three months of the schedule each year and since its first foreign tour the ECO has performed in almost 500 cities across the globe. The orchestra's worldwide reputation is enhanced by its recordings of over 1,000 works and includes numerous award-winning discs as well as those of historic interest. The ECO has worked with all the major record companies alongside the world's greatest international artists; recent soloists include Vladimir Ashkenazy, Maxim Vengerov, Emanuel Ax, Hilary Hahn, Sarah Chang and Radu Lupu, amongst many others. The Orchestra is fortunate to have the highly individual Finnish musician Ralf Gothóni as Principal Conductor and Roy Goodman as Principal Guest Conductor. The ECO continues to pursue a busy schedule of UK work and up to 14 foreign tours each season, including its unique annual Mediterranean Music Cruise featuring a host of illustrious guest artists.

Orlando Jopling 
The young conductor Orlando Jopling has recently made his debut with the English Chamber Orchestra, London Mozart Players and Sinfonia Viva. His recent concert performances have included Elgar symphonies, lesser-known Johann Strauss, Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Walton, and a wide range of the classical repertoire, as well as several first performances of works by leading living composers. He has developed a reputation or his Rossini and bel canto interpretation, and has also unearthed a little-known Vivaldi opera of which he gave the modern world premiere. He has built up Stanley Hall Opera into an established annual festival with an enviable reputation, and has also conducted operas for Savoy Opera, Carl Rosa, Independent Opera in London and the summer festival in Vienna. Orlando studied with Sir Colin Davis, George Hurst and Colin Metters at the Royal Academy in London. He has since assisted Sir Colin Davis with his chamber orchestral versions of all the late Beethoven Quartets, and André Previn on A Streetcar Named Desire.