BBC Orchestras and Singers refers collectively to a number of

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which s ...

s and other musical ensembles, maintained by the BBC.

Current operation

All of the BBC’s Orchestras and Singers record performances primarily for

BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also featuring. The st ...

, with the exception of the

BBC Concert Orchestra The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British concert orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five BBC orchestras which is not a full-scale symp ...

which also has a dual role shared with

BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content ...

. Recordings are either taken from one of around 400 live concerts each year with an audience, or from studio sessions. Unusually for BBC departments, all of the ensembles also take part in a number of non-broadcast activities, including festival appearances and international touring, and in education work within their regional communities. The ensembles managed in England report to the Controller of Radio 3 with the

BBC National Orchestra of Wales The BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW) ( cy, Cerddorfa Genedlaethol Gymreig y BBC) is a Welsh symphony orchestra and one of the BBC's five professional radio orchestras. The BBC NOW is the only professional symphony orchestra organisation ...

and

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) is a Scottish broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Glasgow. One of five full-time orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), it is the oldest full-time professional ra ...

reporting to

BBC Cymru Wales BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcaster in Wales. It is one of the four BBC national regions, alongside the BBC English Regions, BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Scotland. Established in 1964, BBC Cymru Wales i ...

and

BBC Scotland BBC Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: ''BBC Alba'') is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcaster in Scotland. It is one of the four BBC national regions, together with the BBC English Regions, BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Northern Irelan ...

respectively. In 2012, John Myerscough was commissioned to report on potential financial savings of the BBC’s Orchestras and Singers. He recommended no more than 10% budget cuts, highlighting the ensembles' successful range of work. The two choruses, BBC Symphony Chorus and BBC National Chorus of Wales, are volunteer choristers and are not paid a salary. The

BBC Singers The BBC Singers are a British chamber choir, and the professional chamber choir of the BBC. One of the six BBC Performing Groups, the BBC Singers are based at the BBC's Maida Vale Studios in London. The only full-time professional British c ...

are the UK’s only full-time professional chamber choir, and along with the five orchestras, they are full-time salaried musicians whose pay is negotiated with the Musicians' Union (United Kingdom). In March 2021, it was announced that the BBC Concert Orchestra would relocate to a new city "outside of the M25", as part of wider BBC announcements redistributing hundreds of jobs outside of London.

Current list of ensembles

BBC Big Band The BBC Big Band, originally known as the BBC Radio Big Band is a British big band, previously run under the auspices of the British Broadcasting Corporation ( BBC). The band broadcasts exclusively on BBC Radio, particularly on BBC Radio 2's long ...

(not BBC-funded) *

* BBC National Chorus of Wales *

* BBC Philharmonic *

* BBC Symphony Chorus *

BBC Symphony Orchestra The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) is a British orchestra based in London. Founded in 1930, it was the first permanent salaried orchestra in London, and is the only one of the city's five major symphony orchestras not to be self-governing. T ...

Disbanded BBC ensembles

* BBC Dance Orchestra (1928–1952, formed as the London Radio Dance Band in 1926, became the BBC Showband in 1952 and the BBC Big Band in 1964) * BBC Midland Orchestra (1934–1941, became the BBC Midland Light Orchestra, 1941–1973 and the BBC Midland Radio Orchestra, 1973–1980).Howard Leader: ''The BBC Midland Light Orchestra'' (radio documentary
/ref> * BBC Northern Dance Orchestra (1956–1985, the successor to the BBC Northern Variety Orchestra, founded 1951) * BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra (absorbed by the Ulster Orchestra) * BBC Northern Orchestra (1934–1982, formed out of the 2XY Orchestra (1922), Northern Wireless Orchestra (1926) and Northern Studio Orchestra (1930), renamed the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra in 1967, became the

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra The BBC Philharmonic is a national British broadcasting symphony orchestra and is one of five radio orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The Philharmonic is a department of the BBC North Group division based at MediaC ...

in 1982 * BBC Northern Singers (1954–1992, became The Britten Singers) * BBC Opera Orchestra (formed 1949, reformed as the BBC Concert Orchestra, 1952) *

BBC Radio Orchestra The BBC Radio Orchestra was a broadcasting orchestra based in London, maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation from 1964 until 1991. The BBC Radio Orchestra was formed in 1964 as a large, flexible studio orchestra on the Nelson Riddle/H ...

(1964–1991, formed from the amalgamation of the BBC Review Orchestra and the BBC Variety Orchestra) *

BBC Revue Orchestra The BBC Radio Orchestra was a broadcasting orchestra based in London, maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation from 1964 until 1991. The BBC Radio Orchestra was formed in 1964 as a large, flexible studio orchestra on the Nelson Riddle/H ...

(1939–1964) * BBC Salon Orchestra (1939–1942), based initially at Evesham, Worcestershire and then in Bristol, conducted by Leslie Bridgewater, led by

Jean Pougnet Jean Pougnet (20 July 1907 – 14 July 1968) was a Mauritian-born concert violinist and orchestra leader, of British nationality, who was highly regarded in both the lighter and more serious classical repertoire during the first half of the twent ...

and featuring 20 players including

Leon Goossens Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again f ...

, Rae Jenkins, Reginald Kell,

Anthony Pini Carlos Antonio Pini OBE (15 April 1902 – 1 January 1989) was a cellist, known as a soloist, orchestral section leader and chamber musician. He was principal cellist of five major British orchestras between 1932 and 1976, and a teacher at the Roya ...

, Frederick Riddle and David Wise. It played light music in mostly studio broadcasts, aimed at boosting wartime morale. * BBC Scottish Variety Orchestra (from 1967 the BBC Scottish Radio Orchestra (1940–1981)) * BBC Television Orchestra (1936–1939, reformed as the BBC Revue Orchestra) * BBC Theatre Orchestra (formed 1931, became the BBC Opera Orchestra in 1949) *

BBC Variety Orchestra The BBC Radio Orchestra was a broadcasting orchestra based in London, maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation from 1964 until 1991. The BBC Radio Orchestra was formed in 1964 as a large, flexible studio orchestra on the Nelson Riddle/H ...

(1934–1964) * BBC West of England Light orchestra (1950–1960) * BBC West of England Players (1960–1965) * The New BBC Orchestra (founded 1966, renamed the BBC Training Orchestra in 1968, and then the Academy of the BBC in 1974 - disbanded 1977)''Radio Times'', 10 February 1966, p 3
/ref> *

BBC Chorus There have been three choirs named The BBC Chorus in the history of the British Broadcasting Corporation. * 1. Today's BBC Symphony Chorus. Founded in 1928 as the BBC National Chorus, it changed its name to the BBC Chorus in 1932, before changin ...

References

Orchestras Live

External links

BBC Orchestras homepage
{{authority control BBC music British orchestras