BBC Philharmonic will be performing as part of the John Tavener event on Sun 7 July. For more information, visit the event page by following the link in the left hand panel.
Juanjo Mena Chief Conductor
John Storgårds Principal Guest Conductor
HK Gruber Composer/Conductor
Gianandrea Noseda Conductor Laureate
Vassily Sinaisky Conductor Emeritus
Yan Pascal Tortelier Conductor Emeritus
The BBC Philharmonic is based at MediaCityUK in Salford and performs an annual season of concerts at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, as well as regular concerts in Hanley, Leeds, Kendal and other venues across the north of England.
As one of the BBC’s six performing groups the orchestra records and performs concerts for BBC Radio 3. Most of the concerts that the orchestra performs each year will be broadcast on Radio 3.
Juanjo Mena is Chief Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic. Hailing from the Basque region of Spain he has brought his passion for large-scale choral works and the music of his home country to the orchestra since taking up the post in 2011. His performances of Bach and Bruckner in particular have received excellent reviews “Given the immediacy of Mena's conducting, it was impossible not to be caught up in it”, The Guardian (Bach Christmas Oratorio, The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester 2011.)
John Storgårds is Principal Guest Conductor, and will complete his first full season with the orchestra in June, when he will conduct a Sibelius symphony cycle at The Bridgewater Hall. The distinguished Austrian composer HK ‘Nali’ Gruber is Composer/Conductor and will lead the orchestra in a highly prestigious residency at the Vienna Konzerthaus in March. Former Chief Conductor Gianandrea Noseda is now Conductor Laureate, spending up to four weeks each season with the orchestra.
The BBC Philharmonic has its roots in the city of Manchester, since it’s foundation in 1934 as the BBC Northern Orchestra. In 1982, soon after moving to the BBC’s new building on Oxford Road in Manchester, it changed its name to the BBC Philharmonic. In 2011 the BBC moved many of its major departments to a new centre at Salford Quays. The BBC Philharmonic was the first to move to the new site, where it has a state-of-the-art acoustically-engineered orchestral studio.
To celebrate the move, the orchestra held a 17-day festival, BBC Philharmonic Presents…, to demonstrate the versatility of both the orchestra and the new studio. The orchestra performed 12 concerts, with broadcasts on six of the BBC’s national radio stations, including a ground-breaking collaboration with dubstep artists Nero for BBC Radios 1 & 1Xtra, Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review for Radio 5 live and Sunday Worship for Radio 4.
In 2012 the orchestra expanded the festival to venues across the north of England, collaborating with Richard Hawley in Sheffield for BBC Radio 6 Music, Pet Shop Boys for Radio 2, the Guy Barker Jazz Orchestra in Blackpool for Radio 3 and traditional Pakistani musicians for Asian Network in Bradford.
As an internationally-renowned orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic regularly tours in Europe and Asia. In 2010 the orchestra’s tour of Japan was cut short when the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami hit the country. In 2012 they will return to complete the tour dates that were cancelled.
The BBC Philharmonic has made over 200 recordings with Chandos Records and sold around 900,000 albums. Releases in 2012 received excellent reviews, with critics commenting “The performances are immensely persuasive” (The Guardian, Montsalvatge CHAN 10735) and “…a concentrated musicianship where energy and refinement blend in ideal proportions.” (Gramophone Magazine, Falla CHAN 10694).
The BBC Philharmonic is supported by Salford City Council, enabling the orchestra to build active links in the area through a busy learning and community programme