Southern Sinfonia’s reputation continues to grow as the leading Chamber Orchestra in the South of England. Its unique ability to play music from the 1600s to the present day, at the correct pitch and with informed playing style, puts it in huge demand—as does its commitment to contemporary and new music. The orchestra was established in 1990 and is based in Newbury, holding a residency at the Corn Exchange where it plays a regular Subscription Series. With David Hill as its Music Director the group also strives to bring concerts and recitals to a wide area of the south of England—including Winchester, Wells, Canterbury and Cambridge. As well as these regular orchestral concerts the organisation runs bi-annual Young Musician of the Year and Older Musician of the Year competitions, provides a performance platform for the Hampshire Singer of the Year Competition winner and runs regular and extensive educational programmes. The orchestra’s recordings of the Monteverdi Vespers,on the Signum label, and recently Carl Rutti’s Requiem, on Naxos, have been very well received and reviewed.

Southern Sinfonia is now the Orchestra in Residence at the University of Winchester, and has an association with Reading University.