The Brentwood Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) was originally formed in 1973 with the name of Fairkytes Sinfonia and was based in Hornchurch, Essex.  It moved in 1989 to Brentwood and in 1990 was renamed the Brentwood Philharmonic Orchestra.  Past conductors from this era include Robert Pepper, Don Hart, David Pickthall, Graeme Wright and Michael Applewhite.

In 1999, under the chairmanship of Alan Pegrum, the BPO found a new base for its activities at the Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School in Brentwood, Essex where it has since happily held most of its rehearsals and given most of its concerts performing a wide variety of music.  Concerts have also been given elsewhere in Essex: at Bishops Hill in Hutton, Brentwood Cathedral, St Mary’s Church in Shenfield and Felsted School Chapel.  This year the BPO will also be performing its May concert at the Anglo European School in Ingatestone, Essex.

The BPO is delighted to have played a wide variety of music worked with a number of conductors as well as a large number of both up-and-coming and established soloists.  Its main conductors in the last 10 years have been Alan Pegrum (since 2010 the President of the BPO and, from 1999 to 2010, its chairman) and Roger Lawrence (Music Director 2001-2011).  More recently the BPO has also played under Bradley Winand and Nicholas Sherwood.  The BPO is led by Helen Ryan. The BPO maintains a list of the music performed by the BPO over the last 10 or so years.

The BPO was registered as a charity in 2002 (registered number 1090184).