Our Conductor

We are delighted to have Peter Longworth as our conductor.

Peter grew up in Scotland before studying composition at London's Royal College of Music with Mark-Anthony Turnage, and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Matthew King. Described as "dazzlingly atmospheric" (Glasgow Herald) and "uniquely colorful" (ITG Journal), Peter's music has been performed in North America, Japan, and throughout Europe as well as in UK venues such as the Cadogan Hall, Kings Place, St John's Smith Square and St Martin-in-the-Fields. Ensembles who have commissioned, performed or commercially recorded his work include the London Mozart Players, the Brno Philharmonic, the Orchestra and Chorus of Opera North, the Edinburgh Quartet, Hebrides Ensemble and the New Conductors Orchestra of New York City.

His highlights as a conductor have included giving the première performances of Matthew King's ballet, 'A Glass Slipper', in Canterbury's Marlowe Theatre; conducting the London Mozart Players as part of their 2016 Christmas concert and appearing as a guest conductor with Belgium's ORFEO Kamer Orkest.

Since 2018 he has taught at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he is principal conductor of the Guildhall Session Orchestra. Passionate about amateur music-making, Peter has also been the music director of the Wimbledon Community Orchestra since the beginning of 2023.

He is delighted to be the conductor of the South London String Orchestra, citing our Friday morning rehearsals as a highlight of his week!