“Composers don’t tend to write symphonies these days,” said BBC Music Magazine editor Oliver Condy in a recent Guardian article on his magazine’s survey of “the top 20 symphonies of all time.” That list included no British works. 

Now, the English Symphony Orchestra has now resolved to encourage composers “to write symphonies... these days” with our 9- commission 21st C. Symphony project. 

Condy points to a dearth of new symphonies and Philip Sawyers is the perfect composer with whom to begin to address that hole in today’s repertoire. This project will present the world premiere of Sawyers' Third Symphony in St John's Smith Square on the 28th of February, 2017 in a celebration of Sawyers' music.

Your support will make possible the launch of this historic effort to renew symphonic composition in the UK.

"This is the kind of music for which many people have been secretly hoping for years…" ClassicalSource on Sawyers' 2nd Symphony

Concert details available here