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English Chamber Orchestra This London based orchestra was founded in 1960 by Lawrence Leonard and the harpsichordist, organist and conductor, Arnold Goldsbrough. It evolved out of the the Goldsbrough Orchestra which had been started in 1948 and devoted itself to performing early music. After the group had began to play music from after the Baroque period it changed its name to the English Chamber Orchestra, but its repertoire remained limited due to the size of the orchestra. They became associated with the composer Benjamin Britten, who often conducted them, and they played at his premieres of "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "Owen Wingrave" and "Curlew River", along with performing his already established compositions. They did not have a resident composer until 1985, when Jeffrey Tate was given the position, and until that time took guest conductors including Sir Colin Davis and Daniel Barenboim. Their current Principal Conductor is Ralf Gothoni and the Artistic Director is Quintin Ballardie. They have made over 1200 recordings and also guested on albums that include No Boundaries by South Africas Ladysmith Black Mambazo. They were the orchestra chosen to play at Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding in St. Paul's Cathedral and at Prince Charles' 50^th birthday gala concert. In 2007 they will be on a "Music Cruise" through Europe with soloists that include Sarah Chang and Maxim Bengerov and later that year they will also be presenting Sibelius and Beyond which is a festival of Finnish music that will mark the 50^th anniversary of the composer Jean Sibelius' death. Adolphe Charles Adam Recordings Le Corsaire London 0289 430 286 2 (CD - Le Corsaire) Conductor - Richard Bonynge Isaac Albeniz recordings Asturias (Leyenda) London 425 201 (CD: Joy: Timeless Classics from the Guitar of Michael Conn) Conductor - Leslie Williams Guitar - Michael Conn Tomasino Giovanni Albinoni recordings Adagio in G minor London 425 201 (CD: Joy: Timeless Classics from the Guitar of Michael Conn) Conductor - Leslie Williams Guitar - Michael Conn Sources: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Goldsbrough-Arnold.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Chamber_Orchestra http://www.englishchamberorchestra.co.uk/abouttheeco.php

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