“What a splendid time I had with CUMS in May Week! The Chorus was superb; the Orchestra excellent and so open to new ideas. These are groups which have evidently got steadily better over the years I have been away! Any undergraduate would be lucky to sing or play in them. There’s something really thrilling about being part of a large group making music well, as they do. I greatly look forward to the next time I can join them”

Sir Roger Norrington, July 2010

CUMS Symphony Orchestra is the University’s finest symphony orchestra, drawn from top student instrumentalists in Cambridge. It performs a wide range of repertoire under its distinguished principal conductor Martin Yates, its undergraduate conducting scholar, and a roster of guest conductors which has recently included Sir Roger Norrington, Sir Mark Elder, Sir Richard Armstrong and Libor Pesek. Players also enjoy regular coaching from professional orchestral players

Those interested in auditioning for the CUMS Symphony Orchestra for the 2012-13 Season should see the auditions page. We have an exciting year ahead and highlights will include:

• 27 October 2012 Mussorgsky Night on the Bare Mountain, Elgar Sea Pictures and Sibelius Symphony No.2, conducted by CUMS Conducting Scholar William Cole (West Road Concert Hall)
• 24 November 2012 Barber Piano Concerto, Gershwin Porgy and Bess Suite and Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, conducted by Martin Yates with soloist Andrew Goldman (West Road Concert Hall)
• 19 January 2013 Beethoven Missa Solemnis with Cambridge College Choirs, CUCO, and professional soloists, conducted by Sir Roger Norrington(King’s College Chapel)
• 9 March 2013 Rachmaninov’s Piano Concert No.3 and Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition, conducted by Martin Yates, with soloist Peter Donohoe (West Road Concert Hall) This concert will be repeated on 15 March 2013 at the Cadogan Hall in London
• 15 June 2013 Sibelius Symphony No.7, Stravinsky Mass and Walton Belshazzar’s Feast with the CUMS Chorus and soloist Alastair Miles, conducted by Stephen Cleobury(King’s College Chapel)