Get a free album when you join our newsletter. Sign up
BBC Symphony Orchestra
© Lara Platman/BBC Symphony Orchestra

Ensemble

BBC Symphony Orchestra

The BBC Symphony Orchestra has played a central role at the heart of British musical life since it was founded in 1930. It provides the backbone of the BBC Proms, performing around a dozen concerts in the festival each year.

Biography

From the Ondine artist archive. Appointments and season references reflect the original biography.

The BBC SO has a strong commitment to 20th-century and contemporary music, with recent performances including commissions and premieres from Unsuk Chin, Brett Dean, Wolfgang Rihm, Christopher Rouse, Albert Schnelzer and Ryan Wigglesworth.

Central to the orchestra’s life are studio recordings for BBC Radio 3 at its Maida Vale home, some of which are free for the public to attend and the BBC SO also performs throughout the world. The vast majority of concerts are broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

The BBC SO is committed to innovative education work and ongoing projects include the BBC’s Ten Pieces, BBC SO Plus Family scheme, which introduces families to classical music with pre-concert workshops and discounted tickets, and the BBC SO Family Orchestra and Chorus.

Discography

3 recordings

Elliott Carter

Late Works

Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano · Colin Currie, percussion · Isabelle Faust, violin · Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello · Birmingham Contemporary Music Group · BBC Symphony Orchestra · Oliver Knussen, conductor

ODE 1296-2 · CD · Aug 2017

Info & buy

Julian Anderson

Alhambra Fantasy

BBC Symphony Orchestra · London Sinfonietta · Oliver Knussen, conductor

ODE 1012-2 · CD · Jun 2006

Info & buy