About
Sinfonia of Birmingham is a dynamic ensemble formed by a group of ambitious and dedicated musicians, united by a shared commitment to performing orchestral music to the highest possible standard.
Based in Birmingham, the orchestra maintains an active presence both within the city and beyond. It also collaborates with a range of regional choral societies, enriching the cultural life of the wider community through these partnerships.
A defining strength of the orchestra lies in its close relationship with players from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO), who frequently appear as concerto soloists. This connection has provided a strong artistic foundation, enabling Sinfonia of Birmingham to cultivate its own distinctive musical identity. The orchestra benefits from the long-standing leadership of Michael Seal, who serves as its principal conductor, bringing challenging and engaging repertoire to both performers and audiences alike.
The membership of Sinfonia of Birmingham reflects a rich diversity of backgrounds and experiences. Many players are music graduates seeking to develop their performance skills as they embark on professional careers, while others pursue music alongside different professions, maintaining their passion at a high level as dedicated amateurs. This blend of emerging talent and experienced musicians creates a vibrant and supportive musical environment.
Players are selected for their strong musicianship and for their ability to contribute positively to the orchestra’s collaborative and sociable atmosphere. This emphasis on both musical excellence and shared enjoyment fosters performances that are energetic and engaging.
Looking ahead, Sinfonia of Birmingham remains committed to broadening its reach and strengthening its connection with audiences. With a forward-thinking approach to programming, the orchestra continues to explore new ways to share its enthusiasm and distinctive musical voice.
"We’ve heard things from this team ... that, for pure musicality and communicative power, have far outstripped certain big-name concerts at Symphony Hall.”
Meet some of our musicians
Julia Åberg
Julia was born in Nuremberg, Germany. She studied in Essen and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with Krzysztof Smietana. While still studying, Julia freelanced with several of the major London orchestras, playing under such names as Sir Colin Davis and Antonio Pappano. A highlight of her time in London was leading the inaugural concert of the Southbank Sinfonia.
Her plans to move back to Germany were postponed when she was appointed to the First Violin section of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in 2003. The arrival of a husband and their two children then delayed those early plans indefinitely. Since joining the CBSO, she has worked with a fine selection of the world’s best conductors, including Sir Simon Rattle, Sakari Oramo, Andris Nelsons, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla and Kazuki Yamada.
Uniquely, the CBSO has a tradition of inviting visiting soloists to participate in “Centre Stage” chamber music concerts alongside members of the orchestra, and in that setting, she has performed in small ensembles together with eminent soloists such as Freddy Kempf, Peter Donohoe and Truls Mørk.
Julia is a founder member of the CBSO Baroque Ensemble, performing on baroque violin. She is particularly proud of her musical work with people with dementia as part of the CBSO outreach opportunities.
Currently, she is in increasing demand to lead and direct amateur orchestras such as Sinfonia of Birmingham, Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra and Kimichi Symphony Orchestra; with the latter, she has led a celebrated all-Strauss concert including Ein Heldenleben, in Symphony Hall.
When Julia is not playing her violin, she can be found tending to her garden, playing table tennis or reading a good book.
Naomi Shiono
Introduced to Sinfonia in October 2015, violinist Naomi brings both musicianship and joy to the string section. With a finely trained ear and a deep commitment to ensemble playing, she thrives on the collaborative energy of the orchestra.
Being part of Sinfonia’s string section is something Naomi finds genuinely special. Working closely with Michael Seal, she values the shared drive for excellence: the collective effort to create an awesome, unified sound. She loves playing with this orchestra not only for its high‑quality musicianship, but also for the camaraderie and humour that make every rehearsal a highlight. Not forgetting the pint afterwards of course!
Joe Roberts
Sandy Hay
Sandy joined Sinfonia in October 2022 and gets a huge amount of enjoyment from playing with the orchestra. As a flautist, he feels lucky to be surrounded by outstanding musicians, and one of the orchestra’s greatest strengths is its exceptional string section. Their sound, musicality and commitment make every rehearsal and performance a real pleasure.
Sinfonia is a genuinely friendly ensemble with a real sense of community. Whether you’re a long-standing member or playing with the orchestra for the first time, you’ll find a warm welcome and a shared passion for making music together.
Sinfonia of Birmingham performs an exciting range of repertoire to a very high standard, and Sandy finds it incredibly rewarding to be part of an orchestra that combines musical ambition with such an enjoyable and supportive environment.
Alongside playing the flute, he is also the current Chair of the committee, helping to support the orchestra behind the scenes.
Outside the orchestra, Sandy works as a flute teacher, so he especially values being part of a group that values musical excellence, teamwork and the joy of sharing great performances with audiences.
Colin Butterworth
What do I enjoy about Sinfonia? It is a friendly orchestra, playing remarkably-high quality music of a varied repertoire. Although I had played in the Sinfonia for a choral concert in November 1996, my first proper Sinfonia concert was on the 17th May 1998 at the Adrian Boult Hall, with Andrew Constantine conducting a programme of Dvořák′s Carnival Overture, David Earle′s Cello Concerto (world première), Schubert′s Unfinished Symphony and Mendelssohn′s Ruy Blas Overture.
One particularly-memorable concert was on the 2004 Tuscany tour, when we played at the Chiesa de Santa Maria dei Ricci in Florence. The exterior of the church was unremarkable but step inside, and it was a gem. We played Mozart′s Marriage of Figaro Overture, Marcello′s Oboe Concerto (soloist Louise Braithwaite), Kodály′s Dances of Marosszék and Mendelssohn′s Symphony No. 3. What was remarkable about this concert was the more-than-capacity audience. When all the seats were taken, they were standing at the back. Then people started to leave, and more filled their places. There was a constantly-changing audience, but always filled to capacity. The audience fully deserved the encore of Sibelius′ Valse Triste, to a hushed silence.
One other memorable concert was in the CBSO Centre in January 2023. I had put off going on holiday, because I couldn′t miss playing Copland′s Billy the Kid suite. I have always been fascinated with how pioneers coped in distant lands, and Billy the Kid was included in that partly-lawless way of frontier life in New Mexico. I had previously visited various sites of Billy the Kid, including where he escaped from a Courthouse, where he was shot by Sheriff Pat Garrett, and his grave. How could I possibly miss that Sinfonia concert?