OSJ’s mission is “to serve our communities by promoting concerts of unrivalled artistic excellence“. Working with the most extraordinary musicians we aim to make the emotion, drama and culture of live classical music available to everyone.
OSJ appears in its chamber music guise at St John the Evangelist, in
Oxford. We are regular invitees to their concert series.
Image: OSJ in rehearsal at SJE.
Our appearances at the annual Music in the Abbey festival in Dorchester are a wonderful opportunity to work with new artists, and a great complement to our regular season concerts at the same venue.
Image: Ellie Edmonds and Sarah Williamson in concert at MITA with OSJ.
OSJ’s mission is “to serve our communities by promoting concerts of unrivalled artistic excellence“. Working with the most extraordinary musicians we aim to make the emotion, drama and culture of live classical music available to everyone.
OSJ’s mission is “to serve our communities by promoting concerts of unrivalled artistic excellence“. Working with the most extraordinary musicians we aim to make the emotion, drama and culture of live classical music available to everyone.
OSJ's work in the community is a core part of our activity - this includes regular
projects with local school Oxford Spires Academy.
Image: Poet Kate Clanchy with students from OSA.
forthcoming concerts
1
January
Season ticket – OSJ Ashmolean Proms 2019
2019 SEASON TICKET FOR ALL EIGHT OSJ ASHMOLEAN PROMS AVAILABLE FOR £80
Tickets available via the BUY TICKETS link below.
When you purchase tickets, please do consider adding a voluntary donation to support our work in the community.
18
January
Displaced Voices – panel discussion at Somerville College and Open House Oxford
17.30 PANEL DISCUSSION Flora Anderson Hall, Somerville College
18
January
‘Displaced Voices’ in Oxford – music and poetry by children and refugees
This concert is the culmination of OSJ’s three-month community engagement project with the Oxford Spires Academy. Four refugee and migrant students from the Academy have worked with composer Toby Young and OSJ’s associate conductor, Cayenna Ponchione, to create orchestral ‘backing tracks’ to spoken word performances of their own poems. The project builds on the award-winning poetry programme at the school developed by author Kate Clanchy. Three additional poems from Clanchy’s edited volume of the students’ poems: England: Poems from a School (Picador), have been set by professional composers for voice and orchestra.
19
January
‘Displaced Voices’ at Kings Place – music and poetry by children and refugees
The performance will also feature special guests, violinist/singer-songwriter, Alice Zawadski, and the young musicians of Play for Progress. PFP delivers therapeutic and educational music programmes for young people impacted by conflict, to help them avoid isolation and engage with, learn through, and explore their capabilities in music.
14
February
Music for Valentines Day – OSJ Ashmolean Prom
A concert for Valentines Day with OSJ Ashmolean Voices
28
February
Sir Vince Cable – My Music at Wigmore Hall
Famous people discuss music that has meant the most to them in their lives, with OSJ playing arrangements of their choice of music live in the concert hall.
13
March
Afghan Women – traditional Afghan instruments
As part of our Afghan Women’s Orchestra project … a presentation and demonstration of traditional Afghan instruments and music with John Baily and Veronica Doubleday.
14
March
Afghan Womens Orchestra – two schools concerts
As part of our Afghan Womens Orchestra project, two concerts for schools
14
March
Afghan Womens orchestra in Oxford – panel discussion at Somerville
Panel discussion exploring Women music education in Afghanistan
15
March
Afghan Womens Orchestra at the British Museum
A concert and fundraising event at the British Museum, organised by the Afghan Embassy, London
17
March
Afghan Women’s Orchestra in Oxford
Afghan Women’s Orchestra
Musicians from Kabul – side by side with OSJ players
Concert starts at 5pm
18
March
Afghan Womens Orchestra at Lancaster House
Afghan Women’s Orchestra
Musicians from Kabul – side by side with OSJ players
Admission by invitation only
Event hosted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
For more information on the Afghan Womens Orchestra project, click here
20
March
Masterworks for cello and orchestra – OSJ Ashmolean Prom
We are delighted to welcome Margarita Balanas, who joins us for a concert including masterworks for cello and orchestra. She will perform Saint-Saëns’ first cello concerto – a passionate work in A minor which showcases both strength and delicacy in the solo instrument and orchestra. Combine this with Milhaud’s well-known suite for wind ensemble, and beautiful music from that master of lyricism Gabriel Fauré, and you are looking at one fantastically satisfying evening.
22
March
Stanley Johnson – My Music at Wigmore Hall
Famous people discuss music that has meant the most to them in their lives, with OSJ playing arrangements of their choice of music live in the concert hall.
9
April
Baroque masterpieces – OSJ Ashmolean Prom
‘Baroque masterpieces’
Jan Schmolck and Howard Moody violin and harpsichord
19
April
Stabat Mater at Dorchester Abbey
Schubert Stabat Mater in F minor
Bach cantata 82 ‘Ich habe genug’
Verdi Stabat Mater
20
April
Bach Schubert and Verdi at SJE Arts
Schubert Stabat Mater in F minor
Bach cantata 82 ‘Ich habe genug’
Verdi Stabat Mater
30
April
Sir Trevor McDonald – My Music at Wigmore Hall
My Music is a popular OSJ series – famous people discuss music that has meant the most to them in their lives, with OSJ playing arrangements of their selections, live, in the concert hall.
15
May
In our hands – OSJ Ashmolean Prom
‘In our hands’
Butterworth: On the Banks of Green Willow
Toby Young: (Premiere of a setting of Tony Issac’s poem) In Our Hands
Grace Williams: Sea Sketches
Britten Folk Songs set
Ireland Concertino Pastorale
Ireland Merry Month of May