About ICSO

What is ICSO?

Recognised as one of the finest university orchestras in the country, Imperial College Symphony Orchestra (ICSO) regularly performs to capacity audiences both in London and further afield. Since its establishment in 1948, ICSO continues to flourish under the baton of the acclaimed professional conductor Richard Dickins, the orchestra now being run by a committee of full-time students. The orchestra boasts around ninety players and focuses on 19th and 20th century repertoire. Last summer, ICSO had the privilege of performing to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

In recent times, concerts have included The Rite of Spring, Strauss – Tod und Verklarung, Sibelius Violin Concerto, Mahler – Symphony No.1, Sibelius - Symphony No.5, Walton's Belshazzar's Feast, and a performance of Britten – War Requiem with Bournemouth Symphony Chamber Orchestra. Next concert ICSO will be performing Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.
As well as giving performances with soloists who are students at Imperial College, ICSO often has the opportunity to work with highly respected professionals, including Charles Owen, Raphael Wallfisch, Andrew Zolinsky, Michael Thompson and Bernard Roberts and recently won Symphuni, the Universities' Orchestra Competition.

ICSO made its first television appearance in Christmas 2002, featuring in an episode of Channel 4's "Faking It", in which conductor Richard Dickins was given the task of transforming punk singer Chris Sweeney into a maestro capable of conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The documentary won a BAFTA award and the Golden Rose award at the Montreux Festival. In its most recent TV project, ICSO spent two days at the Royal College of Music filming for Professor Robert Winston's BBC documentary series, 'The Human Mind', which was aired in October 2003.

The orchestra has also enjoyed several successful European tours. These have included tours to Montecatini Terme in Tuscany, Italy; Prague and Uherské Hradiště , Czech Republic; and most recently Catalonia, Spain, including a performance in Paris in the world famous Madeleine Church to an audience of over 2000.