Grand Union Orchestra steps into 2025 with renewed purpose and exciting plans. This year, we honour Tony’s legacy by expanding our community projects, nurturing the next generation of musicians, and celebrating the richness of cultural traditions.

We’re thrilled to welcome three dynamic young directors—Josh Brandler, Basia Talago-Jones, and Daniel Olabode—who bring fresh vision and talent to GUO, supported by our dedicated Company Secretary, Jane Deppa. Together, we’re ready to make 2025 a transformative year of music, connection, and creativity.

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It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Carlos Alberto Rangel de Andrade, known as Mingo Rangel, a distinguished guitarist, composer, and writer. A founding member of Trio Odemira and long-time member of the Grand Union Orchestra, Mingo’s work spaned across music, literature, and education, creating a lasting impact within the cultural sphere.

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The Grand Union Orchestra has always stood firmly against intolerance towards marginalised communities and continues to advocate passionately for interculturalism. Composer Tony Haynes states, "Grand Union is proud to have produced music, songs, and shows in many languages, respecting diverse cultures and telling authentic stories of migration, both of ordinary and exceptional people"

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The Grand Union Orchestra's 40th Anniversary Celebrations have been captured in a mesmerising feature film, produced by rising young British-Nigerian film maker Daniel Oluwasayo Olabode (Àkàndá Productions). Now available online.

Dive into a unique world of highly original compositions on themes that resonate with our times: heart-rending songs, fiery jazz soloists, Indian ragas, African rhythms, and ravishing sounds from China.

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On October 29th 1923, following the First World War and from the fragmented ruins of the Ottoman Empire, Kemal Ataturk established Turkey as a secular republic. In the 100 years since, Turkish politics have veered wildly right and left, but never formally again embracing Islam. Thanks largely to the sizable Turkish community in North London, Grand Union has always had close connections with the Turkish diaspora. We’d like to pay tribute to them at this time, fervently hoping that Ataturk’s legacy will not be betrayed.

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We are delighted to announce our programme for October and November. It features an exhilarating range of performances and workshops, centred on – appropriately for Black History Month – the culture and traditions of the African diaspora, with a fascinating glimpse of Bangladesh in London today.

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On Tuesday September 11th 1973, the democratically-elected socialist government of Chile was overthrown in army-led coup. The popular President, Salvador Allende, was murdered, and General Augusto Pinochet installed as Dictator. Allende’s supporters were rounded up; thousands simply ‘disappeared’ while others were thrown into prison. Some were eventually released in an Amnesty, and in this Blog Post commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Coup, Tony Haynes pays tribute to one of them – Vladimir  Vega, who became a founding member of the Grand Union Orchestra.

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The Grand Union Orchestra AllStars made their début at Woolwich Works on Friday September 1st at 8.00pm, by special invitation from Rhythm Passport, to close its explosive season of gigs featuring the whole range of music and musicians flourishing in London today.

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With the release of Christopher Nolan’s new film, our memories reached back nearly 40 years to the early days of the Grand Union Orchestra and its second large-scale show (1986) A Book of Numbers. This toured the UK during the rise of public concern about the threat of nuclear war, which Tony Haynes recalls in his latest blog post …

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What a tremendous year 2022 has been for the The Grand Union Orchestra!

It’s certainly been one to remember; here are some of our favourite events in this incredible year gone by.

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