BBC Symphony Orchestra

Orchestras

The BBC Symphony Orchestra has played a central role at the heart of British musical life since its inception in 1930 and provides the backbone of the BBC Proms including the First and Last Nights.

The BBC SO is strongly committed to 20th-century and contemporary music, having given the premieres of over 1,000 works by composers including Bartók, Britten, Hindemith, Stravinsky and Shostakovich. More recently, it has given world premieres of BBC commissions by such leading composers as Elliott Carter, Brian Elias, Huw Watkins, Tansy Davies and Matthias Pintscher.

As Associate Orchestra of the Barbican, the BBC SO performs an annual season of concerts there. The BBC SO recently celebrated its 80th anniversary with a season including premieres from Julian Anderson, Peter Eötvös and Kaija Saariaho, as well as a performance of Smetana’s opera The Bartered Bride. Next season will see a complete Sibelius symphony cycle, Dvořák’s opera The Jacobin and Total Immersion days dedicated to the Music of Brett Dean, Jonathan Harvey and Arvo Pärt.

All concerts are broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and a number are televised, giving the BBC Symphony Orchestra the highest broadcast profile of any UK orchestra. Central to its life are studio recordings for BBC Radio 3 at the Orchestra’s Maida Vale home, some of which are free for the public to attend. In addition the orchestra records for several commercial labels.

Performing throughout the world, the BBC SO has recently given concerts in Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Germany and Scotland.

The Orchestra is committed to innovative education work. Throughout the year the orchestra runs family events, schools workshops and other creative and collaborative projects. Ongoing projects are the Family Music Intro scheme, introducing families to live classical music, and the highly successful BBC SO Family Orchestra.

www.bbc.co.uk/symphonyorchestra

SEASON 2011/2012