Run by students, for students.
Our players come from a wide range of London universities (sometimes beyond!) on audition alone: some of us are in music conservatoire, some study English, Law, Computing; we all play together in one of the leading student orchestras in the UK.
“I remember performing Mahler 5 with ULSO. Possibly the most iconic piece for a trumpet player - it was amazing to play it in such a supportive environment.”
Principal Trumpet, Philharmonia Orchestra
Committee
Want to join the committee? Email the chair:
chair@ulso.co.ukOur committee members are volunteers from within the orchestra.
Hi everyone! My name is Danielle and I am the Chair of ULSO this year. I am going into my third year studying Law at LSE. I play the violin and I have absolutely loved my last two years in ULSO playing incredible music with incredible people. A warm welcome to everyone here! As the committee, we're thrilled to be arranging and overseeing an exciting season for you all, full of fabulous music and amazing conductors. We're here for any of your queries, so please do reach out! We'd love to hear from you!
Hi I'm Kieran and I am a music graduate of King's College London, specialising in performance. I currently work in instrument sales and am also a freelance opera director. I'm excited to be playing for my third year in ULSO and look forward to meeting and playing with many young musicians across London!
Hi, I'm Diane, the orchestral manager for ULSO this year. This will be my fourth year playing the violin with ULSO, and I'm doing a Master's in Geospatial Sciences at UCL. Looking forward to meeting everyone!
Hi everyone! My name's Ben and I'm your Technical Manager for ULSO this year, going into my 3rd year studying History at UCL. I have absolutely loved being a member of the ULSO's cello section for two years, playing some amazing repertoire with a brilliant group of people. Looking forward to the year ahead and to meeting all of our new members!
Hi everyone! My name is Sophie, and I will be your Admin for ULSO this year. I'm going into my 2nd year of studying Music at KCL, alongside my Performance studies in violin at RAM. I really enjoyed leading ULSO last year, and I can't wait for another year of wonderful orchestra repertoire and meeting even more musicians!
Hi! My name is Amelia and I'll be continuing as the publicity officer this year. I am going into my 3rd year at the Royal Academy of Music studying Clarinet Performance. I can't wait to play more amazing repertoire with ULSO this year and hopefully get even more people watching our concerts!
Hello everyone. My name is Elias and I will be serving as ULSO's librarian this year. I am entering my second year at KCL, where I study PPE, as well as my second year playing violin with the orchestra. I had a fantastic first year with the orchestra playing some lovely repertoire, and I look forward to the season ahead.
Hi! My name is Hayun and I'm the Treasurer for ULSO this season. I play the violin and I'm going into my 4th Year at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. You can never have too much orchestral repertoire! This is my second year with the ULSO and I can't wait for another year of making music with all of you.
Hello there! My name is Lancelot; returning to ULSO this year playing the violin, and now our web presence as well. I'm a 4th Year studying Computing at Imperial College, in desperate need of more music in my life. Come say hi!
History
70th anniversary, Mahler 9 at Senate House
Conducted by Daniel Capps.
A charitable trust is formed to keep the orchestra alive
Former chairs staged a 2021/22 season having lost all financial support, and set up the trust to fund the orchestra and mentor serving committees.
The doors close for eighteen months
Covid stopped the orchestra entirely, and the University of London Union, which had supported it, closed permanently.
Daniel Capps becomes Music Director
He had first conducted the orchestra that March at Cadogan Hall, with Michael Collins in the Weber Clarinet Concerto No. 2 and Mahler 6.
Cadogan Hall debut
The Haydn Cello Concerto in C with Guy Johnston, and Shostakovich 4.
Tour to Hong Kong
Playing alongside Nicola Benedetti and Leonard Elschenbroich at Sha Tin Town Hall and Hong Kong City Hall.
25th anniversary, marked with a tour of northern universities
Ian Reid takes over
Later of English National Opera. Mahler 1 and Scheherazade followed in 1977, and the Summer Chamber Concerts returned at St James's, Piccadilly.
Queen Elizabeth Hall, to a capacity audience
Repeated in 1975, again full.
Gordon Kember begins six years
The orchestra took a place in London's music making, instituting two concerts a year at St John's Smith Square.
Second German tour, Bruckner 3 in West Berlin
Under Gordon MacKie, whose first concert had combined the orchestra with the choir of Morley College for Mozart's Requiem. Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra followed.
John Carewe conducts, opening with Bruckner 2
Four years that included the first of two tours of West Germany.
Norman del Mar takes the orchestra
The full orchestral repertoire was performed from the beginning, with reported performances of Sibelius 1, Brahms 3 and Borodin 2.
Founded by amateur musicians within the University
Set up to give students of London University who were not studying music the chance to develop their orchestral playing. John Hollingsworth was the first Music Director.