Cheltenham Chamber Orchestra

The Cheltenham Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1966 by Laurence Hudson to harness the talents of professional musicians in the area. In 1984 Robin Proctor and Denise Ham took over the conductorship of the Orchestra from Laurence Hudson and in the year 2000, following Robin's retirement, Denise was appointed Principal Conductor, a post which she held until September 2003.

The Orchestra's President is Meurig Bowen, who succeeded Gavin Sutherland in 2019. Meurig has close ties with Cheltenham and was Artistic Director of the Cheltenham International Music Festival from 2007 to December 2017. Since 2020 he has been Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the Britten Sinfonia.

The Orchestra has retained its tradition of performing music from the 17th Century to the present day and, through its regular concerts in Pittville Pump Room and St Andrew's Church, Montpellier, has built up an appreciative audience.

The CCO continues to sustain its reputation for bringing a wide variety of music to its audiences. As well as working with established artists, the Orchestra has a policy of providing a platform for talented young musicians. The CCO offers an extensive repertoire together with a high standard of performance, and with creative programming and subsidised tickets for young people it aims to appeal to listeners of all ages.

The CCO is available to play for Choral Society concerts.