Susan Grant (left) Musical Director of the GSO with Clare O'Connell, GSO's Leader of the Orchestra.

Claire O'Connell and Susan Grant
Susan Grant

SUSAN GRANT - Conductor and Musical Director.

Susan Grant was born in Illinois and lived and worked in St. Louis, Missouri  from 1978 to 2012, when she retired as a Professor of English at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and moved to Lincolnshire.  In addition to a

Master’s degree in English Literature, she also earned a Master's degree in Orchestral Conducting, serving as Graduate Assistant Conductor of Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville Symphony and Chamber Orchestras. 

After graduation she continued her studies and attended conducting workshops sponsored by The American Symphony Orchestra League, one of which was held at Juilliard School of Music with Zubin Mehta and Maurice Abravanel.

 A large part of her training as a conductor was being allowed to observe Leonard Slatkin and the many guest conductors in rehearsals with the St. Louis Symphony, and more.  She continues to spend a busy retirement with a

variety of musical activities.  She is currently in her twelfth year as music director of the Louth People's Orchestra and her seventh in the same role with the Grimsby Symphony Orchestra.  She was the director of the Boston Orchestra for two years.  She currently plays viola with the Boston Sinfonia,

the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and Lincoln Pro Musica. In 2014 she conducted the world premiere of her tone poem, “Piasa” with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra.

Clare O'Connell - GSO Leader

Clare O'Connell was born and raised in Grimsby. She began playing the violin aged 10 and joined the local Youth Orchestra and eventually went on to lead the Humberside Youth Orchestra. 

At 15 she gained a distinction at Grade 8 on the violin.  This enabled her to attend a number of violin lessons in London with a professional violin tutor.

She studied at Liverpool University, where she obtained both her B.A. Hons in Music and her M.Mus.  She also performed with the University String Quartet (tutored by the resident Sorrell Quartet), and led the University Orchestra in her final year.

Clare remained in Liverpool for 11 years and played with various ensembles and orchestras.  She toured the UK with a contemporary music group, continued to perform with a local string quartet and led the Metropolitan Cathedral Orchestra.  She also joined 2 rock bands, where she played electric violin.

She went on to arrange for local bands and spent many hours in the recording studio performing.  She appears on a number of CD's and has performed many times on live radio, including Janice Long's show for BBC 2.

In 2001, she returned to Grimsby where she took time out due to illness. However, in 2003 she attained a P.G.C.E. in Secondary Education, specialising in music from Lincoln Bishop Grosseteste College.

Today, Clare teaches music in local primary schools and has just joined Grimsby Symphony Orchestra as Leader.

Our History

Thanks to the diligence of  the late Mr. Cyril Schwind, we have the early history of the orchestra. 


Founded   1940 

      The orchestra was the brainchild of the then Chief Constable of Grimsby, Charles Butler, and his friend, Mr. J.Temple – Ryall, the town clerk.  The idea was a two-fold one: to try to keep alive an interest in art and music in those dark days of wartime and to put on concerts for the various services and the public, who were deprived of entertainment at that time.  It was initially called The Civil Defence Orchestra but the name was soon changed to The Grimsby Borough Police Orchestra and it continued to give concerts during the next six years at all the aerodromes, naval bases and army camps in North Lincolnshire.


     During this period, Mr. Joseph Wheeler, of Wintringham Secondary School, became conductor and very successful concerts were given, at Grimsby Town Hall and The Pier at Cleethorpes, under the “Holidays at Home” plan which was inaugurated at that time. Mr. Wheeler was superseded by Mr. George Friday – a well-known musician.


       When the war ended, there was no more call for camp concerts so the directors decided to try for a full symphony orchestra concert, to be given once or twice a year at the Central Hall, with a famous solo artist.  To start the scheme, the orchestra was fortunate to have the help of Mr Sidney Wallace -  a young Grimsby solicitor, who gave his services for free – who gave brilliant performances of piano concertos  including Beethoven’s  No. 5 (The Emperor), and  the Grieg and  Schumann concertos. These concerts were not only successful artistically, but put the orchestra on its feet financially. Around 1960, Mr Friday became ill and the leader, Cyril Schwind, became conductor.


1968 onwards      


      In 1968, on her return to the town, Carol Garbett, assisted by David Overton and Edward (Ted) Reynolds, took an interest in the future of the orchestra.  The committee decided to invite guest conductors . Those chosen were two well-known local musicians, Neville Turner and Leo Solomon, who conducted in alternate years.  This policy continued for five years after which Neville Turner was appointed resident conductor. Cyril Schwind again became leader and was to remain in that position until 1986 when Edward Tune took over. In more recent years, during the absences while abroad of Mr Turner, some concerts were conducted by David Overton, David Parker and one by Antony Wheedon.


     The orchestra has provided a platform for many soloists, some of  international reputation.  Some of the performers were musicians from Grimsby including pianists  Marlene Fleet, Richard Markham and James Kirby as well as  Colin Twigg (violin),  Anne McDonald (soprano), Michael Dore (baritone) and Abigail Boardman, clarinet.  The orchestra has also accompanied  many famous soloists including  ‘cellists Paul Tortelier , Julian Lloyd-Webber and Robert Cohen; Carlos Bonel, guitar; Jack Brymer and Emma Johnson, clarinet ; Ifor James and Frank Lloyd, French horn; Jane Eaglen, soprano; pianists Peter Donohoe and Martin Roscoe and violinists Ralph Holmes and Nigel Kennedy.  

We are particularly supportive of young musicians, especially those who live locally, who are at the start of their Careers.

   As well as these wonderful concerti, the orchestra has enjoyed playing many major symphonic works and presented evenings of music from the ballet, films and opera.

These include memorable performances of the great symphonies of Beethoven, Schubert, Mozart, Sibelius, Shostakovich, Brahms, Mahler, Dvorak and Tchaikovsky as well as the then “new” 3rd Symphony of Elgar.


The current Musical Director of the Orchestra is Susan Grant and the leader is Clare O'Connell.
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