1941 Orchestra formed when local musician Ernest Powell gathers a small group to perform Handel's Messiah. The group starts to meet on a weekly basis and numbers swell until the orchestra is dubbed as The South Birmingham Orchestra. Concerts are performed to raise money for wartime charities.

 
BPO Concert in 1943 - Royston Brown, first oboe (on the left) and Leonard Brown (bassoon).

1945 The BBC approaches the orchestra to broadcast the first half of a concert conducted by founder Ernest Powell

1946 David Ludlow becomes orchestra's first official conductor.

1949 Orchestra's title changes to its present form - The Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra

1959 Kenneth Page becomes conductor after the death of David Ludlow. The Ludlow Philharmonic Scholarship is set up in David's memory and dedicated to the Birmingham School of Music.

BPO Concert at Langley Baths, 1960s ?

1960 Orchestra becomes a full symphony orchestra - programmes included overtures, concertos and symphonies and were now more technically adventurous (see the Repertoire Database for details)

1965 Turbulent times hit the orchestra with the rising costs of running and maintenance. However, imaginative methods of raising funds help to safeguard the orchestra's future.

1970 By now the BPO is giving up to 15 Concerts each year at venues including Birmingham Town Hall, Walsall Town Hall, St Mary's Church (Warwick) and Leominster Priory.

 
Making music in style - May 1979

1984 BPO perform Mahler's Symphony No 8 (Symphony of a Thousand) at the Royal Albert Hall, London, with performances also at Birmingham University and Coventry Cathedral.

Warwick Castle 1985

1986 Robin Page takes over as Music Director from Kenneth Page who had by then been in charge for 27 years. Robin's particular achievements included the introduction of more contemporary music to the Orchestra's repertoire as well as visits by guest conductors.

1994 Michael Lloyd takes over as Music Director, continuing the practice of guest conductors, whilst giving dedicated leadership to the Orchestra, striving for ever-higher standards of performance. He also introduces the Orchestra to much more technically demanding works by composers such as Mahler, Shostakovich, Nielsen and Richard Strauss.

1995 The Orchestra gives its first performance in Symphony Hall in conjunction with Child Line

1999 The Orchestra mourns the death of Ken Page, giving a concert in February of that year dedicated to his memory and including works by his favourite composer, Delius.

2002 The Orchestra celebrates its 60th Anniversary with a concert of popular classics, which is a sell-out.

2005-2006 The BPO is now in its 64th season. It has evolved into a very successful body of non-professional musicians who meet regularly to perform major works for orchestra. The Performing Rights Society has recognised the BPO's imaginative programming and performances have received critical acclaim in the press.

The BPO is based at the Birmingham Conservatoire where it rehearses on Sunday mornings from September until June performing 12 or more concerts from 5 or 6 programmes per season. Each programme is usually performed at the Adrian Boult Hall in Birmingham and at least one other venue in the Midlands.

Symphony Hall Birmingham - July 2004

adapted and updated from A History of the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra by Margaret Worsley
© Margaret Worsley 1999

Photographs courtesy of Roger Preston, Colin Butterworth and Martyn Jones.

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