The origins of Northampton Symphony Orchestra are to be found in the "St. Cecilia Orchestral Society", which was formed in October 1893. Members were invited by an advertisement in the local papers, and the first practice was held at the Unitarian Schoolroom on 24 October 1893. The orchestra, conducted by William Bonner, met for weekly practices until 21 December, when the members were called upon to elect a committee for the future management of the Society. Isidore de Solla agreed to become the first President, and a committee of eight members was elected, including William Bonner (Conductor) and Charles Furniss (Secretary). The subscription fee was set at two shillings and six pence a quarter.
After resumption of weekly practices in early 1894, the Society's first concert was given at Northampton Town Hall (the Guildhall) on Saturday 20 January 1894. The orchestra consisted of forty players, with the soloists Miss James (contralto) and Mr Francis Pickman (baritone). A programme comprising a large number of short, light pieces - including popular songs - generated an enthusiastic press report. "The hall was crowded in every part and the audience would have numbered hundreds more if the walls had been elastic.....The performance of the new orchestral society and the reception they met with showed pretty clearly the existence of a considerable body of earnest instrumentalists and of a ready spirit of appreciation on the part of the public. The Society has only been in existence three months, and the progress made is already surprising."
In 1932 the orchestra gave the first performance under its new name of Northampton Symphony Orchestra. The March 1933 concert was distinguished by the first half of the programme (Beethoven Leonore No.3 overture and Tchaikovsky's Pathetique symphony) being broadcast by the BBC. In 1937 the name Malcolm Arnold appeared in the programme: the well-known Northampton-born composer played in the trumpet section as a young lad. Regular concerts (interrupted only by the Second World War) were given in the New Theatre (long since demolished), the Royal Theatre, the Guildhall, Derngate and Spinney Hill Theatre. Since 1983 the orchestra has given the majority of its concerts in Northampton but has also played in other venues outside the town.
Members of the NSO are drawn from all walks of life including students, musical instrument teachers and professionals from many different businesses. They give up their time without being paid, and share the common purpose of enjoying music and hoping to communicate that enjoyment with others. The financial policy of the Orchestra, in keeping with its status as a registered charity, is to secure sufficient funds through members' subscription fees, ticket sales, grants and donations to meet the costs of rehearsals and performances, and nothing more.
Northampton Symphony Orchestra's reputation has grown over the last century, and continues to do so. It has been described as one of the foremost community orchestras in the country, and with the support of its members, patrons and audience it intends to live up to this accolade.
| William Bonner | 1893-1922 |
| R Richardson-Jones | 1922-1951 |
| Oswald Lawrence | 1952-1959 |
| Robert Joyce | 1959 |
| John Bertalot | 1959-1964 |
| Graham Mayo | 1964-1985 |
| Clive Fairbairn | 1985-1990 |
| Christopher Fifield | 1990-1996 |
| Leon Gee | 1996-2000 |
| Graham Tear | 2000-2008 |
| Alexander Walker | 2009- |