The Doctors' Orchestra
A fundraising concert at Cadogan Hall in aid of UK based charity Freedom from Torture.
A unique group of musical medical professionals, known as The Doctors’ Orchestra, led by surgeon and musician Stephen Brearley, are reuniting for Freedom from Torture’s annual concert. The performance will take place on Monday 17 March 2025 in London’s prestigious Cadogan Hall.
The 15th concert in support of Freedom from Torture will feature iconic works by Berlioz, Schumann, and Sibelius. For the first time, the orchestra will be joined by BBC Young Musician finalist and youngest ever principal horn of the Aurora Orchestra Annemarie Federle. She will be performing Schumann’s rarely heard Konzertstück, alongside renowned horn players Diego Incertis Sanchez, Jonathan Maloney, and Zoe Tweed.
Tickets for the concert are priced at £19, £29 and £39. This year’s concert will be live streamed for those unable to attend in person and tickets for the streamed performance are £10. All funds raised by this concert will provide vital support for survivors of torture in the UK, providing them with invaluable psychological support, legal aid, therapy and welfare.
The funds will also support Freedom from Torture’s music therapy programme, led by Bosnian refugee and music therapist, Harmin Sijercic. Harmin was a trained classical pianist when the war started in the 1990s. He fled to the UK and now uses his skills to help fellow refugees and survivors to heal from torture through music.
Harmin Sijercic, music therapist at Freedom from Torture, said: “To think this will be the 15th year of The Doctors’ Orchestra is simply incredible. It’s so special to once again come together in the name of music and healing. The survivors we support have experienced unimaginable suffering which can sometimes make it difficult for them to engage and express their feelings verbally. Every day in my sessions I see first-hand how music can help people to connect and reckon with their trauma in profound ways that aren’t possible with normal language. Not only is The Doctors’ Orchestra a grand celebration, it’s also a reminder of the healing power of music.”
Stephen Brearley, Consultant General Surgeon and conductor, said: “We’re delighted to once again be performing in the Doctors’ Orchestra in support of Freedom from Torture. It is a wonderful, caring charity which provides effective, sensitive and vital support to survivors of torture rebuilding their lives in the UK, as well as campaigning against the use of torture worldwide. For our 15th performance, we have an excellent programme and an outstanding group of horn soloists and hope to attract a large, caring audience to support survivors of torture in the UK.”
THE DETAILS:
Date: Monday 17 March 2025
Duration: 3 hours (incl. Interval)
Ticket price: £10 - £39
Link to book: The Doctors’ Orchestra at Cadogan Hall
Format: In-person event at Cadogan Hall & live streamed
Address: Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, London, SW1X 9DQ
About Freedom from Torture
Freedom from Torture is the only UK-wide charity that exists specifically to support people who have survived torture to recover and rebuild their lives. Led by survivors of torture, we speak out to expose torture and defend the rights of survivors, nationally and globally.
