Founded by Harry Blech in 1949 as the UK’s first chamber orchestra, the London Mozart Players (LMP) is regarded as one of the UK’s finest ensembles. Internationally renowned for its outstanding live performances and CD recordings and particularly known for its definitive performances of the core Classical repertoire, the LMP also plays an active part in contemporary music, giving many world premières and commissioning new works, especially of British composers. In recent years, the LMP has premièred new works by composers including Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Tarik O’Regan, Sally Beamish, Cecilia McDowall, Lynne Plowman, Fraser Trainer and Roxanna Panufnik.

Since 1989, the LMP’s home has been Fairfield Halls, Croydon, thanks to generous funding from the London Borough of Croydon. This residency includes a series of subscription concerts at the hall and numerous education and community activities throughout the borough.

Touring is a major part of the orchestra’s schedule, with regular appearances at festivals and concert series throughout the UK and abroad. It is Orchestra in Association of The Anvil, Basingstoke; Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton; Wellington College and Portsmouth Grammar and Trinity Schools. The LMP regularly performs at major London and national venues. Overseas, the LMP is a regular performer at the Rheingau Festival in Germany and has recently visited Spain, Belgium, France and Ireland. A tour through Germany is planned for 2010.

The orchestra continues to work with some of the brightest new stars in classical music including conductor Jakub Hrusa, violinst David Lefèvre, pianist Polina Leschenko and Yehudi Menuhin School graduates Ayaka and Tomoka Shigeno; whilst continuing to build established relationships with some of the world’s greatest conductors Joseph Swensen, David Stern and Gérard Korsten, and soloist/directors such as Howard Shelley, Michael Collins and Tasmin Little. 

The LMP has developed an extensive and highly regarded education, community and audience development programme and is particularly committed to developing new audiences in outer London boroughs as well as rural areas across the nation. We have had a residency for over seven years in the East Lindsey District region of Lincolnshire, which has generated a huge following for live classical music in the area; a similar association with South Holland District Council, allows us to reach into the heart of the Fenland communities. Associations with educational institutions also bring inspiring and valued relationships, including those with Royal Holloway University of London, the Yehudi Menuhin School, Portsmouth Grammar School and the Whitgift Foundation Schools in Croydon.

The LMP receives project funding from Arts Council England, Orchestras Live, East Lindsey District Council and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. In addition, the LMP receives grants from trusts, foundations and many individuals, particularly the Friends of the LMP in Croydon.

Recording has played a major part in the orchestra’s life for many years. Currently the LMP is recording its acclaimed Contemporaries of Mozart series with Matthias Bamert for Chandos, numbering over 20 CDs to date. The 2009/10 season sees the release of a recording with Canadian pianist Alain Lefèvre for Analekta and Boccherini symphonies for Chandos.