Players

Our musicians are an essential part of CLS. As a chamber orchestra, we stay flexible by working with a core group of players under our Leader and Creative Director, Alexandra Wood, and bringing other musicians in to suit the demands of particular pieces of music.

‘We try to offer experiences and opportunities to all our players, and that’s really quite rare, so it becomes a true chamber orchestra.’

—Alexandra Wood, Leader and Creative Director

We work as a ensemble without a regular conductor. Our musicians are a real team, learning from and guiding each other through the music. Our ethos of more than dots on a page means that our players have opportunities to mentor early-career and student players; to participate in our project work and learn new skills; and to perform amazing music for all kinds of audiences.

‘Very often, we direct ourselves, we don’t have a conductor; it’s very self-governed, musically speaking. I think that changes the way we play, it changes the energy in the room, and that is why a CLS experience is different from any other orchestra. We’re individuals who come together to make this amazing mass of sound. And that’s quite special.’

—Alexandra Wood, Leader and Creative Director