Founded in 1974 by Nancy Jacks as the Uckfield Youth Orchestra, the ensemble started with five members, soon increasing to twenty. The orchestra was later joined by adults, and established a series of charity concerts. In 1995 it took its present name, Buxted Symphony Orchestra. Nancy conducted her last concert in 1996.
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She was succeeded by Henry Jones, who continued the charity concert tradition and conducted a composition of his own.
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Jones was followed in 1998 by Gordon Bailey, who enlarged the orchestra and expanded its repertoire. Having trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he studied with Thurston Dart, he was a double-bass player in several London orchestras and later ran a string instrument business.
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He was succeeded by Peter Davison, who had just left university where he studied conducting. Peter continued to conduct the orchestra until he left Uckfield.
The next appointment was that of Adrian Shepherd MBE, in September 2002. Adrian had studied the cello at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and for 20 years was the principal cello with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and professor of cello at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. As leader of Buxted Symphony Orchestra, he had a long and distinguished career, giving many successful concerts including a Beethoven piano concerto with Simon Ballard. Sadly, he died in July 2013, following a courageous and determined battle against cancer. Friends and pupils gave a charity concert in his memory in Seaford, to a packed audience.
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Julian Broughton took up the baton in October 2013. The current leader is Lisa Wigmore.