Founded 1926 Concert hall Worthing | Active from 1926 Principal conductor John S Gibbons | |
Similar Dina Parakhina, Martin James Bartlett, Yonty Solomon, City of London Sinfonia, William Alwyn | ||
The Worthing Symphony Orchestra is the professional orchestra for the town of Worthing. It is the only professional orchestra in the English county of West Sussex. Founded in 1926, the orchestra was the first municipal orchestra in Britain.
The WSO's principal conductor (1997 to present) is John S Gibbons. The orchestra is led by Julian Leaper, who also leads the City of London Sinfonia. As of 2008, the orchestra was made up of around 55-60 musicians.
The orchestra plays at the Assembly Hall in Worthing, which according to the WSO's principal conductor, John Gibbons, has some of the finest acoustics in Europe. Notable musicians to have played with the WSO at the Assembly Hall include Julian Lloyd Webber, and Nicola Benedetti.
The WSO also accompanies competitors in the Sussex International Piano Competition.