All past concerts: archived details with photos, press releases, reviews and videoclips
List of all past concerts
All Young Soloist Competitions: archived documents with photos
For more photos from across the years click on our Gallery tab
Here is the history of Eastbourne College music whose story includes some of the ESO’s story.
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The ESO’s 46th Season

Summer Concert 2026 is archived here

Autumn Concert
Sunday 11 Oct 2026
7pm St Saviour’s Church

Elgar Cockaigne Overture
Creighton Areopagus
Handel Organ Concerto in F (The Cuckoo and the Nightingale)
(Soloist David Force)
Vaughan Williams English Folk Song Suite
Elgar Sea Pictures
(Soloist Rebecca Hughes)

Tickets available from 1 September
£18 in advance (£16 for ESO Friends); £20 on the door (£18 for ESO Friends) from

WeGotTickets
and, cash only, from 
Rager & Roberts
36 Cornfield Road, Eastbourne BN21 4QH

Players rehearsals:
St Saviour’s Church
12 Sept (hall), 26 Sep (hall), 3 Oct (hall), 10 Oct (church), 11 Oct (church)

 

Welcome to the ESO’s 47th Season (2027)

39th Young Soloist Competition

Birley Centre BN21 4EF

First Round 23 and 24 January 2027
Final Sunday 21 February 2027

(LPO concerts in Congress Theatre on 24 Jan and 14 Feb)

Competitors from music colleges and schools around the UK and abroad will present a 15-minute performance of a contrasting programme of their own choice, judged by four adjudicators. An audience is welcome to come and go as they wish between competitors. There is no need to reserve seats (£5 entry).

The final round (£15 entry on the door only, includes refreshments), has four or five competitors who present a 20-minute performance of two contrasting concerto movements. The winner is awarded a prize of £1,250 and plays a concerto with the ESO.

Spring Concert
Sunday 25 April 2027
7pm St Saviour’s Church

(LPO concert in Congress Theatre on 4 April)

Programme to include concerto with the 2026 winner of the Norah Sande Award (tbc) 

Players rehearsals: 2–5pm: 20 Mar (hall), 3 Apr (hall), 10 Apr (hall), 24 Apr (hall), 25 Apr (church)

Summer Concert
Sunday 20 June 2027
7pm St Saviour’s Church

Programme to include concerto with the 2027 winner of the ESO Young Soloist Competition

Players rehearsals: 2–5pm: 22 May (hall) (followed by AGM), 5 Jun (hall), 19 Jun All Saints’ Church BN21 4HE, 20 Jun (church)

Autumn Concert
Sunday 10 October or 17 October* 2027
7pm St Saviour’s Church

*depends on LPO concert in Congress Theatre

Rehearsals either
11 Sept (hall), 25 Sep (hall), 2 Oct (hall), 9 Oct (church), 10 Oct (church) or
18 Sep (hall), 2 Oct (hall), 9 Oct (hall), 16 Oct (church), 17 Oct (churc

Safeguarding Policy; Privacy
Please contact concertmanager@eso.org.uk or
07780 993801 for more information. 

The Orchestra always welcomes new players and we are keen to hear from anyone who is interested in joining us. We are particularly keen to fill spaces in our brass, percussion and string sections.

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