Two of London’s longest-running LGBTQ+ music ensembles are set to celebrate major anniversaries this October, with a pair of concerts showcasing decades of queer music-making in the capital.
The London Gay Symphony Orchestra (LGSO) and the London Gay Symphonic Winds (LGSW) will mark their 30th and 20th anniversaries respectively with performances taking place a week apart.
The celebrations will begin on 18 October when the LGSO performs its 30th anniversary concert at Cadogan Hall under the baton of newly appointed Musical Director Sonia Ben-Santamaria. Tickets HERE
The programme will revisit the orchestra’s origins, featuring works by Tchaikovsky and Liszt that were performed during its first season in 1996. Audiences will also hear the world premiere of Restless Host by composer Mark Bowden, alongside Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 3.
A week later, on 24 October, the London Gay Symphonic Winds will celebrate its 20th anniversary at St John’s Waterloo. Conducted by Musical Director John Brown and hosted by Reece Connolly of The Gallifrey Cabaret, the concert will blend classical arrangements with wind band favourites, musical theatre, film scores and pop classics. The evening will conclude with an encore featuring former members of the ensemble. Tickets HERE
In a joint statement, LGSO co-chairs Gary Clarke and Josh Sturges, alongside LGSW chair Ricky Holtz, said the concerts would celebrate the shared heritage of the two organisations and the generations of LGBT+ musicians who have helped them thrive.
“We are beyond excited and honoured to be celebrating our groups’ shared history of queer and inclusive music-making through these two concerts,” they said.
“These concerts celebrate our ensembles’ diverse yet shared history, with the LGSW being founded by members of the LGSO 20 years ago, as well as the generations of LGBTQ+ musicians, conductors, audiences and supporters who have made them possible. We warmly look forward to welcoming audiences, both old and new, to join us in our anniversary celebrations.”
The concerts highlight the breadth of LGBTQ+ musical culture in London, spanning symphonic repertoire, new compositions, film music, musical theatre and popular music.
The anniversary year will continue in December when the London Gay Big Band celebrates its own 15th anniversary, bringing the combined total of LGBTQ+ music-making represented by the three groups to 65 years in 2026.
Founded in 1996, the LGSO was established by a group of friends led by conductor Robin Gordon-Powell to create a welcoming environment where queer people could make music together free from prejudice. Today, the orchestra performs five concerts each year and is known for tackling ambitious repertoire.
The LGSW was launched in 2006 as an offshoot of the orchestra, providing another inclusive space for LGBTQ+ musicians. Alongside its annual concert programme, the ensemble regularly performs at events across London and is a longstanding presence at the capital’s Pride celebrations.
Organisers said audiences are welcome to attend either concert or both as part of a month-long celebration of the contribution LGBTQ+ musicians have made to London’s cultural life over the past three decades.
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