What We Do
The London Symphony Orchestra is built on the belief that extraordinary music should be available to everyone, everywhere. From orchestral fans in the concert hall to first-time listeners across the UK, Europe and the world.
Our film Living Music takes you through our 2023/24 season, introducing you to our work, activities, players and communities.
Performing On Stage: Music That Inspires
The LSO was established in 1904 as one of the first orchestras shaped by its musicians. Since then, generations of remarkable talents have built the Orchestra’s reputation for quality, daring, ambition and a commitment to sharing the joy of music with everyone. Today, we’re ranked among the world’s top orchestras, reaching tens of thousands of people in London, more on stages around the world, and millions through streaming, downloads, radio and television.
As Resident Orchestra at the Barbican since the Centre opened in 1982, the LSO performs some 70 concerts there every year with its family of artists: Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano, Conductor Emeritus Sir Simon Rattle, Principal Guest Conductors Gianandrea Noseda and François-Xavier Roth, Conductor Laureate Michael Tilson Thomas, and Associate Artists Barbara Hannigan and André J Thomas. The Orchestra has major artistic residencies in Paris, Tokyo and at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, and a growing presence across Australasia.
Learning and Community: Music That Unites
Through LSO Discovery, our learning and community programme, 60,000 people each year experience the transformative power of music, in person, on tour and online. Our musicians are at the heart of this unique programme, leading workshops, mentoring bright young talent, working with emerging composers, visiting children’s hospitals, performing at free concerts for the local community and using music to support neurodiverse adults. Concerts for schools and families introduce children to music and the instruments of the Orchestra, with an ever-growing range of digital resources and training programmes supporting teachers in the classroom.
The ambition of LSO Discovery is to share inspiring, inclusive opportunities with performers, creators and listeners of all ages. The home of much of this work is LSO St Luke’s, our venue on Old Street. In 2025, following a programme of works, the LSO will be opening up the venue’s unique facilities to more people than ever before, with new state-of-the-art recording facilities and dedicated spaces for LSO Discovery’s programme.
LSO Discovery
Our learning and community programme sharing the power of music with thousands
Recordings and Film: Music That Innovates
Our record label LSO Live celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2024/25, and is a leader among orchestra-owned labels, bringing to life the excitement of a live performance. The catalogue of over 200 acclaimed recordings reflects the artistic priorities of the Orchestra – from popular new releases, such as Janáček’s Katya Kabanova with Sir Simon Rattle, to favourites like Vaughan Williams’ Symphonies with Sir Antonio Pappano and Verdi’s Requiem with Gianandrea Noseda.
The LSO has been prolific in the studio since the infancy of orchestral recording, and has made more recordings than any other orchestra – over 2,500 projects to date – across film, video games and bespoke audio collaborations. Recent highlights include the Mercury-Music-Prize-nominated Promises collaboration with Floating Points and Pharoah Sanders, appearing on screen and on the soundtrack for the Oscar-nominated film Maestro, and an Emmy-nominated performance of Love Will Survive with Barbra Streisand.
Through inspiring music, learning programmes and digital innovations, our reach extends far beyond the concert hall. And thanks to the generous support of The City of London Corporation, Arts Council England, corporate supporters, trusts and foundations, and individual donors, the LSO is able to continue sharing extraordinary music with as many people as possible, across London, and the world.
