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: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

s and other musical ensembles, maintained by the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

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, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...

, with the exception of the BBC Concert Orchestra which also has a dual role shared with BBC Radio 2. 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 and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra reporting to

BBC Cymru Wales BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcasting, 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, ...

and

BBC Scotland BBC Scotland is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcaster in Scotland. Its headquarters are in Glasgow, employing approximately 1,250 staff as of 2017, to produce 15,000 hours of television and radio programming per year. BBC Scotla ...

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 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. In March 2023 the BBC announced plans reduce salaried orchestral posts across the BBC Symphony, Concert and Philharmonic orchestras by around 20% and close the BBC Singers. After protests by the Musicians Union and the broader musical community the BBC said in April that it would seek alternative ways of finding financial savings that would seek to sustain the future of BBC performing groups.

Current list of ensembles

BBC Big Band (not BBC-funded) * BBC Concert Orchestra * BBC National Chorus of Wales * BBC National Orchestra of Wales * BBC Philharmonic * BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra * BBC Singers * BBC Symphony Chorus * BBC Symphony Orchestra

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 Empire Orchestra (1934–1939, part of BBC Empire Service, now the BBC World Service; orchestra conducted by Eric Fogg) * 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 Military Band (originally the BBC Wireless Military Band, 1927-43. Gerrard Williams was staff arranger and it was conducted by Bertram Walton O'Donnell from 1927 to 1937, when his brother Major P.S.G. O'Donnell took over. * 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 2ZY Orchestra (1922), Northern Wireless Orchestra (1926) and Northern Studio Orchestra (1930), renamed the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra in 1967, became the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra 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 (1964–1991, formed from the amalgamation of the BBC Revue Orchestra and the BBC Variety Orchestra) * BBC Revue Orchestra (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 Mauritius, Mauritian-born concert violinist and orchestra concertmaster, leader, of British nationality, who was highly regarded in both the lighter and more serious classical repertoire during t ...

and featuring 20 players including Leon Goossens, Rae Jenkins, Reginald Kell, Anthony Pini, 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 (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. # Today's BBC Symphony Chorus. Founded in 1928 as the BBC National Chorus, it changed its name to the BBC Chorus in 1932, before changing ...

, founded 1930s, abolished in 1961

References

Orchestras Live

External links

BBC Orchestras homepage
{{authority control Orchestras and Singers British orchestras