Biography

The Orchestra are unique: defying all preconceptions of orchestral performance, they have created a new way for classically trained musicians to perform a rare genre splicing breed of music influenced by drum and bass, club, dance, jazz, funk, world and contemporary classical music. Written by acclaimed composer Andrew Skeet, whose arrangement credits include Suede and Hybrid and Luke ‘Spacer’ Gordon, producer and DJ for Howie B’s Pussyfoot label, their album Look Away Now features a 22 piece classically trained ensemble that creates a sophisticated and infectiously cool compound of electronica, cinematic textures, strings, beats and jazz.

Launched with Spacer vs The Orchestra, as part of the hugely successful Serious Sampler series at the Spitz, the group went on to host a mass of collaborations at 291 Gallery, Shoreditch working with the likes of Ashley Slater, Jocelyn Pook, Sine, Joby Talbot and Spacer. Such musical adventures have won The Orchestra an enviable reputation and following for taking orchestral performance to brand new audiences. They have since played at venues and festivals as diverse as The Big Chill, Cargo, the Royal Festival Hall and a barge in the middle of the Thames (no mean feat with that number of musicians including a harp!).