BBC Orchestras and Singers refers collectively to a number of orchestras, choirs 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, 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 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 and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra reporting to BBC Cymru Wales 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 Ireland. I ...

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 The BBC Symphony Chorus is a British amateur chorus based in London. It is the dedicated chorus for the BBC Symphony Orchestra, though it performs with other national and international orchestras. Brief history Background In its early years, th ...

and

BBC National Chorus 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 ...

, 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.

Current list of ensembles

* BBC Big Band (not BBC-funded) * BBC Concert Orchestra *

* BBC National Orchestra of Wales * BBC Philharmonic * BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra * BBC Singers *

* BBC Symphony Orchestra

Disbanded BBC ensembles

BBC Dance Orchestra 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 ...

(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 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 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 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 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

References

Orchestras Live

External links

BBC Orchestras homepage
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