ABOUT US
Established nearly 40 years ago, Kew Sinfonia is a Chamber Orchestra comprising both professional and talented amateur musicians from the West London area. We perform regular concerts in the local community under the musical direction of our Conductor Daniel Hogan and Leader Catherine Schofield.
We play a wide-ranging repertoire encompassing the established popular masterworks as well as great but lesser known compositions from the 18th century to the present day, including new music commissioned from contemporary composers.
We also aim to support up and coming young musicians, and are privileged to work with and give a platform to talented new soloists.
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Kew Sinfonia's concert venues are St Anne's Church on Kew Green (near Kew Gardens), St Paul's Church in Chiswick, and the Church of St Michael and All Angels, Chiswick.
MUSICAL DIRECTOR
DANIEL HOGAN
Described as a ‘musician of sincerity, integrity and a maturity well beyond his years’, Daniel Hogan is a 28-year-old British conductor recognised for his enormous potential; a reputation for musical knowledge and musicianship, combined with an empathetic and personable leadership style.
The 2025/26 season sees Daniel conduct the London Symphony Orchestra, having been selected to be one of the 20 finalists for the Donatella Flick Conducting Competition. Daniel will also return to the St Endellion Easter Festival Orchestra and the University of London Symphony Orchestra, following successful debuts last year.
His 2024/25 season also saw several successful debuts, including with the Oxford University Orchestra, as well as acting as an Assistant Conductor for the Poznan Opera, Poland. Past highlights have included conducting the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in an Emerging Conductors Showcase concert in June 2023, conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra for a side-by-side project with the Royal Academy of Music and working as Assistant Conductor for Opera North’s production of My Fair Lady in Leeds. In concert, Daniel has also conducted the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra in Olomouc, Czechia, Baltic Sea Philharmonic in Tallinn, Estonia and the Järvi Academy Youth Orchestra in Pärnu, Estonia.
He has previously assisted Andrew Gourlay with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and Christopher Warren-Green with the Philharmonia for a performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in the Royal Albert Hall. He was also Assistant Conductor for a commercial recording of Matthew Taylor’s symphonic works with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, recently released on Toccata Classics.
Daniel is the founder of the Sinfonia Perdita, a young professional orchestra dedicated to performing neglected repertoire. Their first studio recording has recently been released: Schumann’s Violin Concerto with Laure Chan, recorded at Abbey Road Studios.
Popular with non-professional orchestras, he is currently Music Director for Kew Sinfonia, the Winchester Symphony Orchestra, Bath Symphony Orchestra, Kings College London University Orchestra, Wessex Sinfonietta and Chorleywood Orchestra. He was engaged as Rehearsal Conductor for the Ulster Youth Orchestra for their 2023 Summer Tour, and was also recently a guest conductor for the Hertfordshire County Youth Orchestra.
Daniel recently received a Distinction for his Professional Diploma in Orchestral Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music, studying with Sian Edwards. He previously received a First Class Honours for his Masters in Orchestral Conducting at the Royal College of Music, studying with Toby Purser, Peter Stark and Howard Williams.
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LEADER
CATHERINE SCHOFIELD
Catherine Schofield has led Kew Sinfonia since being appointed in 2017.
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Cathy Says:
“I am a West London girl at heart, having lived in Ealing all my life apart from my student years in Manchester. I actually remember a time when entry into Kew Gardens was 3 old pence! I love the idea of being connected to the thriving local musical community, so it was an honour to be invited to take over from Gudrun Edwards, the founder Leader of Kew Sinfonia when she retired. I really enjoy working with amateur musicians, who play because they love to, and that is so refreshing! The players of Kew Sinfonia all work hard and are not afraid to tackle varied and challenging repertoire. The smaller, more flexible forces of a chamber orchestra require demanding and exacting playing from individuals; for me, the best bits are when they are playing like chamber musicians with their ‘antennae out’ - music-making which really opens out in the live performances. I can think of quite a few highlights of leading Kew Sinfonia over the past few years, and am looking forward to many more in the future.”
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Catherine received a Junior Exhibition to the Royal College of Music. She pursued her training at Manchester University and subsequently at the Royal Northern College of Music, studying with Emanuel Hurwitz and tutored by Peter Cropper and Richard Deakin.
Passionate about the importance of chamber music, Catherine is a founder member of the renowned Bridge String Quartet, established over 30 years ago as one of Britain’s foremost quartets and named after English composer Frank Bridge. The quartet has built up an international reputation through their highly-acclaimed recordings and extensive touring, acting as ambassadors of English Music in many festivals. Catherine coaches regularly on Bridge Quartet courses in the UK and Europe, and also at Dartington Summer Music and Pro Corda Music courses.
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As a freelance violinist Catherine has developed long associations with the English Chamber Orchestra, Glyndebourne Touring Opera and English Touring Opera, which she co-led. She has also frequently played in principal positions with various orchestras and groups including Primavera.
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Catherine is a respected teacher who has a thriving practice in Ealing, teaching pupils of all ages. She has taught at Junior Guildhall, Junior Trinity and the RNCM, and now runs “Stringendo!”, Saturday morning music classes in Hammersmith.​
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