OSJ (Orchestra of St John's) was founded in 1967 by its artistic director, John Lubbock. Since then, it has built its reputation as one of the UK’s leading international orchestras.

Comprising the Orchestra's OSJ Onstage programme, OSJ performs concerts throughout the UK and overseas at leading festivals and concert halls, at its residency bases and in community settings. Through its unique artistic policy, it presents innovative, integrated and audacious programmes that combine rarely or unperformed pieces with well-known repertoire.

In July 2003, OSJ formed a unique creative partnership with the dynamic new creative arts charity, Create. OSJ and Create are nationally acclaimed for their OSJ Offstage programme, which takes a fresh, new approach to making music accessible to the widest possible audience. It strives to develop the therapeutic, educational and social benefits of live music activities, promoting new experiences, fostering musical interests and talents, and stimulating participation, creativity and attendance at musical events.

Through their groundbreaking creative training and development initiative, OSJ Soundynamics, OSJ and Create run bespoke programmes to meet the training needs of both large and small corporate clients.  

OSJ is a champion of new music, regularly commissioning and performing new works. It has a particular commitment to British composers. Benjamin Wallfisch became OSJ’s new Associate Composer in March 2004.