The Studio Symphony Orchestra grew from the Studio String Orchestra, founded by the late Havelock Nelson and friends in 1947, shortly after his arrival in Belfast from Dublin.  As originally intended, the Orchestra continues to provide an opportunity for amateur musicians, who come from all over Northern Ireland and from various walks of life, to play a wide range of music.  This has included first performances in Ireland of works by composers such as Britten, Honegger and Walton, as well as the standard classics.  The orchestra has had the pleasure of accompanying many world-renowned instrumental soloists including Sir James Galway, Barry Douglas, Peter Katin and George Zukerman, as well as singers Heather Harper, Bernadette Greevy and Peter Pears.

The SSO is now in its 61st season and is busier than ever. There is a long established SSO tradition of having artists with local connections as soloists. In recent concerts, Michael McHale (piano) and Eimear McGeown (Flute) have both given concerto performances, and many other well known local artists have performed with the Orchestra including Scott Heron, Claire Isdell, Cliona Doris, Anne Harper, David Quigley, Irene Sandford, Michael McGuffin, Derek Bell (of Chieftains fame), Elizabeth Bicker and the Hunt Trio.
 
 
 

David Openshaw came to Northern Ireland as Principal Timpanist with the Ulster Orchestra in 1972. Shortly afterwards, on the retirement of  Dr Havelock Nelson, he took over as Principal Conductor of the Studio Symphony Orchestra.  He has always tried to follow the example Havelock set in bringing both new and relatively unknown works, and indeed young and upcoming soloists, to the attention of Northern Ireland audiences. Premieres have included the 6th, 11th and 12th Symphonies of Shostakovich, and Vaughan Williams' Symphonies No 2, the London, and No 7, the Antartica.  Following the success of the Verdi Requiem in the 1998/99 season, he hopes that in the future he can bring before his audience more major choral works, such as the Grande Messe des Morts of Berlioz, or if not that huge masterpiece, then perhaps the Te Deum.

The Studio Symphony Orchestra is currently filling a great need in performing works that deserve to be heard live but which it would be financially difficult, if not impossible, to professionally produce.
 
 

Several eminent professional musicians were, in their early days, members of the Orchestra. The most famous former member is Sir James Galway who played with the SSO during his early years in Belfast. Bernadette McBrierty of the Ulster Orchestra also played with the Studio Symphony before embarking on her professional career. David Strange, a leading cellist in the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 60's and Michael Skinner, chief percussionist in one of the leading London orchestras are but a few of the names of past members. The SSO’s leader in late 50's and early 60's, Audrey Brett, went on to play with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London.