LFBM set to take off as British Airways partners with Sinfonia Smith Square

Musicians performing on stage of Smith Square Hall in London with purple atmospheric lighting framing the pillars behind the stage
By Continuo Connect | Published 14 October 2026

The upcoming London Festival of Baroque Music (LFBM) will be among the beneficiaries of a new partnership between Sinfonia Smith Square and British Airways, its first Airline Partner.

The airline's annual support will extend across the Smith Square Hall programme, including both LFBM and the London Festival of Chamber Music. British Airways will also support the orchestra's travel to overseas concerts, festivals and projects, including its annual residency at the Anghiari Festival in Tuscany.

For this Westminster venue, whose programming is strong in Early and Baroque repertoire, the agreement will augment the international reach of the London Festival of Baroque Music, giving audiences opportunities to hear the best international talent in the Early Music field live in the UK.

Sinfonia Smith Square performs at its home venue a stone's throw from the Houses of Parliament
Sinfonia Smith Square performs at its home venue a stone's throw from the Houses of Parliament

This new collaboration reflects the two organisations' shared belief in the power of cultural experiences to connect people and to create opportunities. Artistic Director Toby Chadd said: 'From our base in London, Sinfonia Smith Square connects musicians and audiences across borders – whether bringing exceptional artists to perform at Smith Square Hall, or enabling 34 talented young musicians from around the world to take part in our Fellowship programme offering professional training with Sinfonia Smith Square.'

This year's London Festival of Baroque Music is curated for a second year by celebrated countertenor Iestyn Davies. Taking place at Smith Square Hall from Saturday 24 to Saturday 31 October, it brings eight days of performances by leading international Early Music artists to Westminster. The festival opens with Concerto Copenhagen and Lars Ulrik Mortensen in Bach's Orchestral Suites (24 Oct), with highlights through the week including violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte and lutenist Thomas Dunford in Mad Lover (28 Oct), soprano Nardus Williams and lutenist Elizabeth Kenny in Shut the Gate Against My Thoughts (30 Oct), and La Nuova Musica performing Bach's masterful Mass in B minor (31 Oct).

View all this year's LFBM events and book tickets via its Continuo Connect Festival profile.


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