About Us
SING - PLAY - LISTEN Our mission hasn’t changed for over 80 years. We continue to bring the joy of live music to the local community.
Slough Philharmonic Society was founded in 1941 by SEGRO (then Slough Estates) to enable people to enjoy artistic and cultural activities locally. Today the orchestra and chorus rehearse in Burnham and are funded and run by the members.
Our twin structure of orchestra and chorus allows members to perform a wide repertoire from the great symphonies and showpiece concertos to major choral works. We work with professional soloists, often up-and-coming new talent, to bring the best performances to our audience.
Director of Music: Leon Gee
Following training as a violinist, Leon studied conducting under Jonathan Del Mar at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Leon was appointed British Arts Council Young Conductor with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, 1991–1994.
Guest engagements have included work with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. Leon has recorded for the BBC, performed at many of the UK’s leading venues, and he has worked with distinguished soloists including Tasmin Little, Artur Pizarro, Lars Vogt, Freddy Kempf, and recent BBC Young Musicians, Martin James Bartlett and Lauren Zhang.
Leon has conducted many of the UK’s leading non-professional orchestras, serving as Music Director for the Oxford Symphony Orchestra and the British Police Symphony Orchestra, among others. He has recently been appointed Music Director for the Slough Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus.
As one of the UK’s foremost trainers of younger orchestras, Leon was the founder Music Director for the London Philharmonic Youth Orchestra in 1991. He has worked with many of the UK's younger orchestras including those at the Guildhall, the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Oxford University. He is currently Music Director with the Ealing Youth Orchestra and the National Scouts & Guides Symphony Orchestra.
Chorus Director: Ben Qureshi
Ben Qureshi is a vibrant and inspiring conductor based in the South of England. A trombonist and singer in his childhood, Ben first took up the baton at university, becoming Assistant Conductor of the Southampton University Symphony Orchestra in 2021. He spent a year abroad in Paris, studying Musicology at the Sorbonne, specialising in orchestral and operatic music from the 19th and early 20th Century. While in Paris, he became involved with the Sorbonne Orchestra and l’Orchestre des Grandes Écoles. Upon his return from France, Ben decided to pursue conducting more seriously and became involved with several orchestras in Hampshire, including Southampton Concert Orchestra, Per Piacere Chamber Orchestra and Winchester Chamber Orchestra.
In July 2024, Ben was awarded the Bob and Beryl Harding Conducting Bursary and made Assistant Conductor of the Havant Symphony Orchestra. He is also Assistant Musical Director of Guildford Youth Symphony Orchestra.
After graduating at the top of his year, Ben has continued his affiliation with Southampton University, taking the role of Musical Director of Southampton University Chamber Choir, and has a continuing relationship with Southampton University Sinfonietta. He is delighted to be starting at Chorus Master of the Slough Philharmonic Chorus in September 2025.