The Borders Sinfonia / Sinfonia y Ffin is an orchestra with local roots. Many of the musicians grew up in North Wales or the North West of England.  Most are professionals recently graduated from Bangor, Manchester or Leeds Universities, the Royal Northern College of Music, Birmingham Conservatoire, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama or London Conservatoires. Other colleagues may not have graduated quite so recently, but are expert musicians currently actively involved in music at a professional level, living and working in or close to the Welsh and English borders. Many of the instrumentalists play regularly with full time orchestras such as the Hallé, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of Opera North and the Northern Sinfonia.

Recent performances have included Elgar's 'The Dream of Gerontius' and Jenkins' 'Armed Man: a Mass for Peace', with orchestral items including Arvo Pärt's 'Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten'. The chamber orchestra performed Vivaldi's Gloria and Haydn's Nelson Mass on 16th April 2011 in the 10th anniversary concert of Denbigh Choral Society, an event conducted by Beryl Lloyd Roberts in St Asaph Cathedral. Future performances include Mozart's Requiem, Walton's Façade and a rare hearing of Benjamin Britten's 'Rejoice in the Lamb' as orchestrated by Imogen Holst. This will take place on April 21st in Ellesmere Port Civic Hall for Ellesmere Port Music Society.

Trystan Lewis will conduct the orchestra for the first time in St Asaph Cathedral on May 12th with Holst's 'Hymn of Jesus and Gounod's 'Petite Messe Solenelle' whereas on the 1st December in Mold Bach's Christmas Oratorio will be matched with Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols, and music by Finzi.

Haydn’s Creation (twice), Poulenc's Gloria, Handel’s Chandos Anthems, Brahms’ German Requiem, and works by Gounod, Satie, Barber, Kats-Chernin and Fauré are amongst other masterpieces it has expertly accompanied for Choral Societies, or performed alone under the batons of Shan Griffiths, David Poulter and Tim Stuart.

For the landmark concert on May 10 2008 in St Asaph's wonderful cathedral, the orchestra was fortunate to have the celebrated Welsh violinist Cerys Jones as guest leader, with James Pattinson as co-leader. Carmina Burana was the formidable vehicle which displayed the instrumentalists' virtuoso talents. The audience, which was a 'full house', gave the performers a standing ovation.

Please send any requests for further information to: sinfoniayffin@gmail.com