The Hayes Symphony Orchestra was formed in 1947 and is registered under the name of ‘Hayes Orchestral Society.’ An Annual General Meeting is held each year to which all players are invited.
We attract players from all over South East London including Croydon, Bromley, Beckenham, Crystal Palace, Sydenham, Hayes and West Wickham.
Our Conductor – Dan James
Dan is a conductor, cellist and educator whose musical career has taken him from Brighton to Bangalore.
As a cellist Dan has performed and broadcast commercially on BBC radio, Classic FM and ITV in musical settings ranging from full orchestra to cello quartet.
Alongside this he has worked on a number of West End productions and recorded for Linn Records.
The recipient of the George Hurst Conducting Prize from the Blackheath Conservatoire, Dan has worked with orchestras from both the UK and abroad. He began his conducting studies under Andrew Morley, later working with Sian Edwards, Denise Ham and Colin Metters.
Dan teaches cello and directs ensembles at Junior Trinity and Eltham College. As a mentor he works with postgraduate students on the joint Music Masters and Birmingham University PGCEi for instrumental teaching. The former Head of Strings at Highgate School, he is currently Director of Music at West Lodge Prep School and a staff conductor on the European Youth Summer Music course.
Dan is delighted to be back making music with the Hayes Symphony Orchestra, and looks forward to the musical highlights of the forthcoming seasons.
Our Leader – Lynn Cook
After graduating from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Lynn continued her studies in America at the Brooklyn College of Music and the world famous Summer School in Aspen Colorado.
She played in Orchestras in the Americas and Iceland before returning to London to set up a hectic teaching practice. As well as teaching in various schools, she has a large private practice and regularly runs her own courses, such as “Fiddlesticks!” (a junior orchestra in Wimbledon), “Sounds Together” (children’s chamber groups in Sydenham), and “Semiquavers” (music classes for the very young).
Despite the heavy demands of all this teaching, Lynn makes time for her own playing. She has led the Hayes Orchestra for nine years, founded and leads the Colour House Ensemble at Merton Abbey Mills, and is a regular member of the Tunbridge Wells, Isle of Wight and other orchestras
President
Simon Ballard
Vice-Presidents
Andrew Condon
Stephen Gates
Brian Lee
Committee
Anthony Fawkes (Chairman)
Samantha Carter(Membership Secretary)
Lynn Cook (Leader)
David Stern (Hon. Treasurer)
Dan Nasir-Hill
Catherine Todd (Librarian)
Julia Challender (Hon. Secretary)
Brendan McCarthy
Lynne Tatam (Publicity)
Dan James (Conductor)
Helen Dasley
Previous Conductors
Hayes Symphony Orchestra would like to give thanks to our previous conductors Felicity Cliffe, Paul Showell, Benjamin Ellin and Steven Moore who have worked with the Orchestra for a number of years. We wish them the best of luck for their future engagements.