The City of Cambridge Symphony Orchestra started life in 1973 as the Harston String Orchestra. Later, as a result of a change in venue, it became the Barton String Orchestra. In 2000 Leon Lovett took over as conductor. Under his baton, the orchestra appeared regularly in West Road Concert Hall and in other venues around Cambridge. In addition to playing works for strings, the orchestra increasingly invited wind players to join it to perform works from the symphonic repertoire. Recognising this change of emphasis, the musicians decided that the orchestra needed a new name and in September 2008, it became the City of Cambridge Symphony Orchestra. In February 2012 Robert Hodge became CCSO’s new conductor.
Robert Hodge – Musical Director
Robert joined CCSO as Musical Director in 2012 with a reputation as a conductor of great skill, clarity of technique and good rapport with musicians, and for devising exciting programmes that are enjoyable and challenging for players and audiences. His relationship with CCSO continues to be mutually happy and rewarding.
Born in Pembrokeshire, Robert’s musical development began with learning piano and violin which led to leader of Pembrokeshire County Youth Orchestra, pianist in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Wales and orchestral pianist in the European Union Youth Orchestra. He studied at Royal Holloway, University of London before winning a scholarship to the Royal College of Music (RCM) where his conducting teachers were Robin O’Neill and Peter Stark. There, he prepared orchestras and acted as assistant to conductors including Vladimir Ashkenazy, Bernard Haitink and Lorin Maazel.
Robert, an experienced orchestral trainer, is Musical Director of CCSO and also Aylesbury Symphony Orchestra and Essex Symphony Orchestra. Particularly known for his work with young people, he is the Musical Director of Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra, regularly conducts the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain, and is Conductor in Residence at St Albans High School. He is Undergraduate Professor of Conducting at the RCM where he also conducts the Junior Department Sinfonia. Guest appearances in the coming season include the RCMJD Chamber Orchestra, Malta Youth Orchestra and The Rehearsal Orchestra.
For three years Robert was Musical Director of Nonesuch Orchestra, conducting an extensive series of outreach concerts and appearing at London festivals including the St Jude’s Proms in Hampstead. He has toured the UK with aerial theatre company Ockham’s Razor, directing choirs for their critically acclaimed production, Not Until We Are Lost. In past seasons, he has guest conducted widely including Benslow Music, Farnborough Symphony Orchestra, Finchley Symphony Orchestra, King’s College London Symphony Orchestra, Kingston Philharmonia, Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, Music for Everyone in Nottingham, Oasby Music Group, Oxford University Orchestra and Suffolk Sinfonia.
Philippa Barton – Leader
CCSO’s leader Philippa Barton leads a busy and varied life as a freelance violinist, leading a number of ensembles, such as the Kings Chamber Orchestra, and Essex and Colchester Symphony Orchestras. She plays all around the country and further afield with various other orchestras, such as English Touring Opera, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the London Mozart Players and the City of London Sinfonia.
As a soloist, Philippa has a growing repertoire, including concerti by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Bruch, Mozart, Bach and Vivaldi. She also collaborates in recitals with the pianist, Alisdair Hogarth, having performed programmes including sonatas by Franck, Elgar and Debussy.
Philippa is passionate about working with musicians of all ages, leading educational workshops, chamber music groups, coaching for various youth and non-professional orchestras, and teaching individuals, privately and at Felsted School. She loves to guide students in discovering their own musical voice, and finding out how to express it.
Her own education was at the Royal College of Music, studying with Dona Lee Croft and Trevor Williams. Shortly after leaving college, she spent several years playing with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, before returning to London to continue with her freelance career. Philippa became CCSO’s leader when Julia Frape retired from this position.