Did you know there existed a mandolin and guitar group in every borough of London?
London has a long and rich tradition of mandolin orchestras spanning over a century

The London Mandolin Festival aims to reverse the trend of the ageing, dwindling sizes and closures of mandolin orchestras all over London by uniting mandolin and guitar players in one mass orchestra and performing substantial pieces showing Londoners that music for mandolin orchestra is interesting and fun preserving the traditions but giving a modern twist.

Mandolin, Mandola, Acoustic Classical Guitar, Acoutic Bass Guitar, and Double Bass players of all levels are invited to join. Players as far as Bristol, Brighton, Essex, and Cambridge participated in the 2009 First London Mandolin Festival. A majority of the players are sourced from clubs affiliated with the British BMG Federation and Federation of Guitar Societies.

Music is sent to players months in advance of the first rehearsal. Music is chosen from those performed at similar mandolin festivals, recommendations from players, and in consultation with various experts. A preference is given to contemporary music and music written locally in the UK especially in London.

A survey is sent to players to ask which are the best dates and best location to meet. A number of optimal dates and the venue are then chosen over several months according to the survey for the rehearsals and performance.

Full day central London rehearsals are organised starting at 10am and ending at 5pm. Attendance of the rehearsal is not compulsory and some players may opt to come for half a day but full attendance is recommended. Players are notified which pieces will be practiced and what areas to focus on before each London rehearsal.

Informal local rehearsals are also organised between the London rehearsals to give players another opportunity to practice pieces in a group context. Player's positions in the orchestra is dependent on the skill level of the player and their attendance of rehearsals in London or otherwise.

The main event of the festival is the final performance. A concert is held open to the public. As well as the festival pieces, players are invited to perform a piece for the final concert as a soloist or as part of a small group.

Want to take part? Register now at londonmandolinfestival@googlemail.com to start practicing the pieces!

Never heard a mandolin orchestra before? Listen to recordings from the 2009 First London Mandolin Festival Concerts to give you some ideas on the music of the festival.