Lunchtime Concert: Chichester Symphony Orchestra

With some justification the Chichester Symphony Orchestra can claim to the oldest secular musical ensemble in the area still in existence. A Chichester Instrumental Society is known to have existed in 1881 and is listed in the Chichester Directory Handbook and Almanac of that year. The Society’s name made its first formal appearance in print in the ‘Bognor Observer and West Sussex Recorder’ newspaper of 25 December 1889 in which it was announced that the Society was ‘prepared to receive engagements for banquets, balls, evening parties’. This is the date the orchestra now documents for its foundation.

Over the past 25 years Chichester Symphony Orchestra has had four conductors, most recently Simon Wilkins since 2018. Simon works professionally as a music teacher, conductor, and composer. He is also an accomplished cellist. Natalia Corolscaia, who has played the violin since the age of 7, is a member of the teaching staff at the University of Chichester Conservatoire. She has been the leader of the Chichester Symphony Orchestra since 2022.

The orchestra numbers around 40 players but will bring in extra players when needed. The majority of the players are local to Chichester or live within 20 miles. New audiences and new players are both important to ensure the orchestra’s continued survival in Chichester’s cultural life for the future.

At present the orchestra gives four concerts a year including two at St Paul’s Church in Northgate – one in early April and one in July as part of the Festival of Chichester – and one at the Cathedral’s autumn lunchtime concert series. The February family concert, held at Bishop Luffa School, has a generic theme. For example, the 2023 theme was ‘magic’ and the programme included Mozart’s Magic Flute overture, the Harry Potter Symphonic Suite by John Williams, and Danse Macabre by Saint-Saens.