Chineke! Orchestra

Chineke! was founded in 2015 by Chi-Chi Nwanoku to provide career opportunities for Black and ethnically diverse classical musicians in the United Kingdom and Europe. The ensemble’s name is derived from the Nigerian Igbo language and means something like “God, the Creator of the World and of Goodness.” “Chineke!” is also exclaimed when something amazing happens—the word is equivalent to our expression “Wow!” The orchestra aims to drive change and celebrate diversity in classical music. It pursues this mission through concerts by the largely professional Chineke! Orchestra, the Chineke! Junior Orchestra for 11- to 22-year-old musician s, and its education and participation programs. In addition, Chineke! Voices was launched in 2022 as an affiliated a cappella ensemble. The various ensembles regularly tour Europe and North America. The Chineke! Orchestra is the resident orchestra at London’s Southbank Centre, where it performs year-round at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Royal Festival Hall. It also partners with the Fairfield Halls in Croydon and, in 2022, began a close collaboration with Woolwich Works in Greenwich, including a chamber music series. Every concert program features works by Black and ethnically diverse composers. The repertoire ranges from music of past eras that has been overlooked and neglected to contemporary works. Chineke! is also dedicated to performing, commissioning, and recording the music of living Black composers.

Lucerne Festival debut on 11 September 2022 under Kevin John Edusei in a program of works by Nabors, Shostakovich, and Dawson; last appearance here was on 3 September 2024, when Leslie Suganandarajah conducted music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Wynton Marsalis, and Florence Price.

July 2026