7.45pm Supported by Pentland and Cello Group. Toby Purser conducts the London International Orchestra (LIO) in a programme including Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 in C minor (the Organ Symphony), with Edward Batting organ and the traditional Last Night favourites, with mezzo-soprano Victoria Simmonds. The LIO, comprising talented amateur musicians and former professionals, engages professional conductors and soloists and has given concerts in many distinguished London locations, raising thousands of pounds for charity. Toby Purser has a wide-ranging conducting career in the UK and abroad. In 2005 he founded the Orion Orchestra, a stepping stone for the most talented musicians leaving music college. In November 2014 he made his debut at English National Opera, where he was recently awarded the ENO Mackerras Fellowship 2016-18 and has been working on ENO’s new production of Berg’s Lulu and on the world première of Ryan Wrigglesworth’s The Winter’s Tale. Edward Batting, organist and director of music at St Alban’s Holborn, is much in demand as a recitalist and accompanist. Victoria Simmonds began her professional career as a company principal at ENO. The DVD and CD of her Royal Opera House performances have won more than 17 awards. ‘The superb Victoria Simmonds’ Richard Morrison, The Times. More about the Festival and book tickets online at www.promsatstjudes.org.uk