## **Kensington Symphony Orchestra: Annual Review 2023/24** 

Adventurous programming continued to be KSO’s hallmark in this season. We welcomed  Paul  Hoskins  for  a  second  time  as  guest  conductor  and  played Dohnányi and Boulanger alongside the more mainstream Mahler and Stravinsky. This also highlighted our collaborations with accomplished singers, with Claudia Huckle giving the contralto contribution to the Rückert-Lieder. This theme was replicated  in  Fairfield  Halls,  Croydon,  where the orchestra  joined forces  with longterm associates, Epiphoni choir, to give a performance of Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius,  which  was  one  of  the  most  ambitious  artistic  ventures  of  the orchestra’s lengthy career. All three vocal soloists on that occasion gave nigh definitive  performances.  And  our  season  had  started  with  John  McCabe’s evocative Notturni ed Alba, again with a soprano soloist (Donna Lennard). This sat elegantly alongside Vaughan Williams’ ever popular 2nd Symphony (‘London’). 

The  orchestra’s  ambition  brings  certain  challenges  which  the  trustees  and volunteers endeavour to tackle. Chief amongst these is the availability of concert venues in London which are suitable for our size and repertoire choices. Fairfield Hall in Croydon provides the perfect venue, but with constrictions of attractiveness for audiences. Smith Square Hall remains a vital mainstay for most of our programming, but we also use Cadogan Hall (which only suits the smaller scale pieces) and Queen Elizabeth Hall, which is perfect, but costly to hire and thus a risk in respect of suitable programming for audience attractiveness. The position is fragile but we continue to make the best use of these facilities, as long as they are available. 

Outreach continued in the form of our ‘Music Tracks’ work with Year 7 pupils of Pimlico Academy, and we have noticed a steady improvement in the standards achieved  by  the  students.  This  is  highly  refreshing  in  a  period  when  music education is known to be under continual threat. 

Our accounts continue to remain in balance. The turnover was reduced owing to the need to step down from six concerts to five, but the overall robustness of the financial position was maintained. Participants continue to support our work via subscriptions,  and  our  Friends  give  considerable  financial  help  with  their donations. We are also grateful to the Cuthbert Horn Trust for continued support. 

Graham P Elliott 

Secretary June 2025 



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CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's
report on the accounts
Section A
Independent Examinerfs Report
Report to the trusteesl
members of
Kensington Symphony Orchestra
On accounts for the year
ended
31 August 2024
Charity no
(if any)
1069620
Set out on pages
I report to the trustees on my Èxamination of the gecounts of the above
charity (°the Trust.) for the year ended 3110812024
Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation
basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act
2011 {"the Act.).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I
have followed the applicable Dircctions given by th¢ Charity Commission
under section 145(5){b) of the Act.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have
come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me
cause to believe that in, any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of
the Act or
the accounts do not accord wrth the accounting records
Independent
examiner's statsment
I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection
with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a
proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signe
Date:
28.5. AQZ
Name:
A-Tr-¥- é SP&￿)cc-￿_- l )
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body
(if any):
Fo, FCCA, CI A
Address:
ktAi a6
Section B
Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32,
Independent examination of charity accounts.. d1￿ctionS and guidan￿ for
examiners).
IER
October 2018