FeMusa String Ensemble is Britain's first all-female professional chamber orchestra in more than half a century! Inspired by Elgar’s Serenade for Strings, which was brought to the world through the 'Ladies Orchestral Class' in Worcester, FeMusa was founded in September 2008 by lead violinist, Nazrin Rashidova.

 

There are a few female chamber orchestras scattered around Europe and Canada, but the uniqueness of this newly established ensemble lies in the fact that the last female orchestra in England, the British Women's Orchestra folded after the Second World War.

 

Far from the quintessential Englishness of Elgar's Ladies, Femusa's musicians come from many 

countries and they plan to develop the multicultural aspect of their work alongside more traditional western repertoire. They also aim to seek out and perform rare or unknown pieces, premier and showcase works of living composers and bring more world music to the classical stage.

 

FeMusa gave two successful concerts last year; a Debut in May 2009 at St. George’s Bloomsbury and their second concert in November of the same year at the prestigious Saint James’s Church Piccadilly was featured on BBC World News. 

 

Their upcoming concert on 7th November at St. John's, Smith Square will include a collaboration with the renowned mezzo-soprano, Louise Winter. The second half of the concert will also feature 'Nizami' Symphony by Azerbaijani composer, Fikrat Amirov which was last performed in the UK in the 1960's.