New Shanghai Orchestra

The New Shanghai Orchestra was created in the Autumn of 2005, when British musician Gary Sanderson, living and working in Shanghai, brought together a number of talented young players to provide an orchestra for a Viennese Ball at a local hotel. The event proved to be a great success and it was therefore decided to continue the orchestra on a regular basis, with the aim of providing unique musical and social opportunities for talented young people of various backgrounds living in the Shanghai region. The ideals of NSO, broadly speaking, are:
To bring together an orchestra of young, technically excellent, broad-minded and enthusiastic musicians living in Shanghai.
To include in that orchestra a wide diversity of nationalities and cultural backgrounds, with players from a variety of sources including students from international and local schools/university and young teachers and professionals from around Shanghai.
To stage a number of concerts throughout the year, in public venues, which will be of a high standard, reaching approximately that of a semi-professional orchestra.
To provide within those events a wide variety of musical styles. As well as traditional Western Classical music, programmes will include lighter music, jazz, vocal and Chinese music. Soloists of a variety of natures will be featured in all performances.

NSO generally has around 110 members, who present three performances each year and come together for three or four rehearsals before each event. Membership numbers must, of course, be limited; but as players and families eventually leave Shanghai places will become available. Anyone interested in auditioning to join the orchestra will find details in the Admission / Auditions section of this website.