‘An absolutely superb evening’ Alexander Armstrong sings live in ‘The Music In My Life’ concert with OSJ at The Sheldonian
Alexander-Armstrong I am a massive Alexander Armstrong fan and listen to him presenting Classic FM at every opportunity, but I wanted to know more, and the chance to hear his ‘The Music In My Life’ at The Sheldonian accompanied by OSJ‘s extraordinary orchestra was too…
‘A thoroughly deserved standing ovation’ Why Ravel’s Bolero bought the OSJ audience to their feet at Dorchester Abbey’
You can’t get much more of a famous classic than Ravel’s Bolero. It must surely be up there with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony – in terms of those four instantly recognisable and iconic notes. However, the Orchestra of St John’s made us wait for…
“This experience has been the best luxury of my life” Michael Palin explores his incredible journey with OSJ at The Sheldonian
As droll and down-to-earth as ever, Sir Michael Palin arrived on stage at The Sheldonian to riotous applause, the sold out audience keen to hear of his exploits and adventures, life in comedy, global travels and time as a student in Oxford. Interviewed…
‘A tale of two Hannahs! How OSJ’s ‘divine’ Great Mass in C Minor by Mozart reduced the audience to tears. Book its festive concerts now’
On a wild, wet and windy night, we ran into the sanctuary of the lovely church of St John the Evangelist on the Iffley Road, to be treated to an evening of Bruckner and Mozart, performed by the Orchestra of St John’s and the OSJ…
Season of Serenading – Oxford Health Charity with OSJ
Oxford Health Charity has recently supported a series of hospital musical events in partnership with the Orchestra of St. John’s (OSJ) as part of the Oxford Health Arts Partnership’s (OHAP) trust-wide music strategy. This blog will discuss the impact and joy this…
Orchestra plays a key role in Oxford’s musical scene – Oxford Times
The initials OSJ will be a mystery to many people, but for those in the know, it has become an important part of Oxford’s musical scene. The Orchestra of St John’s has played a key role in the city, sharing its…
A testament to the uniting power of music
“The wheel of fortune turns”. With these words, sung by the choir early in Carl Orff’s deservedly popular cantata Carmina Burana, the audience is introduced to one of the simplest yet most universal truths about the human condition. Because of the…
GET BOOKING: OSJ’S GLORIOUS SUMMER CONCERTS preview from Oxinabox
“Orchestra of St John’s glorious summer concert series boasts exciting classical musicians, wonderful venues and inspiring music as well as debuts from the country’s fastest rising stars.” First up is rising star Elodie who last year performed with Ed Sheeran,…
A musical religious experience – review of St Matthew Passion March 2024
On Easter Saturday John Lubbock and his carefully assembled forces gave a powerful account of the St Matthew, more complex in its structure and composed on a much larger scale than the earlier work. This was successfully conceived not so much as…
Fresh, Formidable and Triumphant – Review of Messiah December 2023
If Handel’s Messiah is among the most frequently performed choral works of the Western musical tradition, the challenge of rendering it fresh and alive today is monumental. The task, perhaps unwittingly, was proclaimed from high up in the splendid church of St…
Mozart’s Requiem: A Singer’s-Eye View
Mozart’s Requiem (7 and 8 April 2023) From time to time, one reads gloomy reports about the audience for classical music shrinking since the pandemic. There seems to be no evidence of this when it comes to concerts in Oxfordshire…
Simply Majestic – Grieg and Rachmaninov at Dorchester Abbey
As a long-term resident of Dorchester, I’ve had the good fortune to be able to enjoy so many wonderful OSJ performances, here and elsewhere. Tonight was simply majestic, full of goose-bumpy, breath-holding transports of ecstasy. At the end I commented…
