Kew Sinfonia was founded twenty five years ago by a group of local music-lovers, prominent among them Antony and Marie-José Sadler, who felt that Kew should have its own orchestra. They approached Joseph Vandernoot, a well-known London conductor, and he responded with enthusiasm. The inaugural concert under his direction was given in December 1986. Since then the orchestra has given three or four concerts a year and has attracted a loyal and enthusiastic audience.

From the beginning the orchestra has been led by the well-known professional violinist Gudrun Edwards. Over the years she has gathered together a pool of first-class professionals and talented amateurs who welcome the opportunity to play in a high quality chamber orchestra which has no difficulty in attracting excellent young musicians and established artists as soloists.

The original concert venue was St Luke's in the Avenue but in recent years the orchestra has found a permanent home in St Anne's, Kew Green. Following Joseph Vandernoot's retirement the orchestra has been directed by John Gibbons, Richard Dickins and currently Orlando Jopling, as well as enjoying visits from distinguished guest conductors such as Lionel Friend.

There have been many highlights over the last eighteen years. These include two concerts in the Great Conservatory of Syon House during the summer of 1992, a concert performance of The Magic Flute being particularly memorable in this magical setting. More recently it was exciting to welcome internationally-acclaimed soloists such as Tasmin Little and Nicholas Daniel. Dame Anne Evans sang Wagner in a very successful Millenium Concert in the unusual setting of the Public Record Office, now known as the National Archives.

The Barn Church has been the setting for several "outreach" events. These included a very important fund-raising Music Mini-Marathon in which local people and groups, including many children, obtained sponsorship to provide continuous music from morning to evening. In another important event local children, particularly from Queen's School, rehearsed and performed with members of Kew Sinfonia, the concert ending with an exciting performance of Peter and the Wolf given by the Sinfonia. Kew Sinfonia and the Queen's School joined forces again in January 2006 for another rewarding workshop and concert which on that occasion ended with Poulenc's Babar the Elephant.

For more information please contact David Edwards (chairman), 020 8876 9318