| Biography | The BBC Philharmonic is a British broadcasting symphony orchestra based at Media City UK, Salford, England. It is one of five radio orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The orchestra's primary concert venue is the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester.
The 2ZY Orchestra was formed in 1922 for a Manchester radio station of the same name. It gave the first broadcast performances of many famous English works, including Elgar's Dream of Gerontius and Enigma Variations and Holst's The Planets. The orchestra was part-funded by the British Broadcasting Company (precursor of the BBC), and renamed the Northern Wireless Orchestra in 1926.
When the BBC Symphony Orchestra was established in London in 1930, the new Corporation cut its regional orchestras' funding. The Northern Wireless Orchestra was downsized to just 9 players, and renamed the Northern Studio Orchestra.
Three years later, however, the BBC reversed its decision and maintained a full orchestra again - this time called the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra. This was the beginning of the orchestra in its present form.
The orchestra played at its first Prom in 1961, and enjoyed popularity with performances at the Free Trade Hall, a venue it shared with the Hallé.
In 1982, the orchestra received a vote of confidence from the BBC, who expanded the orchestra and changed its name to the BBC Philharmonic. The name conveyed the message that the ensemble was no longer a Northern orchestra - it was an orchestra based in the North. A musician's joke at the time referred to it as the BBC Enharmonic, as it had changed its name but sounded the same.
Yan Pascal Tortelier was principal conductor of the orchestra from 1992 to 2002, and now holds the title of conductor laureate. Gianandrea Noseda became principal conductor of the orchestra in September 2002. In October 2006, the orchestra changed Noseda's title to chief conductor, in conjunction with his contract extension through 2010. Noseda concluded his tenure as chief conductor in 2011 and now has the title of conductor laureate along with Tortelier. In July 2010, the orchestra announced the appointment of Juanjo Mena as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2011-2012 season, with an initial contract of 3 years. Since 1996, Vassily Sinaisky has served as the orchestra's principal guest conductor. Sinaisky is scheduled to relinquish the principal guest conductorship of the orchestra in January 2012 and to take the title of conductor emeritus. In March 2011, the orchestra announced the appointment of John Storgårds as its next principal guest conductor, effective January 2012.
Since September 2007, the orchestra has been in a major partnership with Salford City Council, enabling the Orchestra to build active links with Salford and its communities. In 2011, the BBC Philharmonic moved to their new dedicated studio at Media City, Salford Quays, along with a number of other BBC departments that made the move. |