Hackney Community Orchestra

A Magical Musical Partnership: 

Hackney Community Orchestra and Bridge Academy 

Bridge Academy has been the home of Hackney Community Orchestra since 2017. The school is where HCO rehearses every Thursday and performs twice a year. 

The orchestra prides itself on being a diverse group of players who live in and around Hackney. It boasts a community of around 60 musicians of all ages, backgrounds and instruments. As well as conventional orchestral instruments, the orchestra includes saxophones and a couple of ukulele players as well as a drummer and an electric guitarist!   

Under its conductor, Chris Harrison, HCO performs a wide range of music, from jazz to pop and classical to folk. It champions female composers and those from diverse backgrounds. In the future HCO is hoping to play music created by local composers to help showcase the talent we have here. 

The orchestra also takes its music out of the school and performs at several events a year including the Angel Canal Festival and the Hidden River Festival.  

HCO meets weekly in our main performance hall at The Bridge Academy on Thursdays from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm. There are late sessions which take place afterwards from 8:00pm - 9:00pm for smaller, ensemble groups.

If you’d like to join there’s no audition, although it helps if you have some experience of reading music. Many members are late starters or those returning to their instrument after several years, and sometimes decades, of neglect! 

The sessions are relaxed and enjoyable and the fees are reasonable. A concession rate is available for those on a low income. 

HCO believes making music together is something which we can all aspire to given the right encouragement and support. So why not give it a go!

If you are interested in joining, please email info@hackneycommunityorchestra.co.uk 

HCO would also like to speak to anyone interested in supporting the orchestra to grow and develop. If you have any skills you feel could be useful, please do get in touch with them.