“one of the best non-professional orchestras
in the land”

Founded in the early years of the second world war to raise money for war charities, the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra received its present title in 1941. It retained its vigour at the cessation of hostilities and remains one of the country’s best amateur orchestras, drawing its members from all walks of life throughout the West Midlands. For most of its members music is a form of relaxation, but for others it is a stepping stone in their musical careers.

The BPO engages professional conductors and leaders, aiming to achieve the highest possible standards of performance. Renowned artists who have appeared with the orchestra in recent years include Peter Donohoe (the orchestra’s Patron), Martin Cousin, Jane Eaglen, Jonathan French, Gweneth-Ann Jeffers, Aled Jones, Piers Lane, Arturo Pizarro, Krzysztof Smietana, Matthew Trusler, Eduardo Vassallo and Sir Willard White. Recent guest conductors have included Richard Laing, Marco Romano, Michael Seal, Paul Spicer, Jason Thornton and Jonathan Tilbrook.
Past Music Directors include David Ludlow, Ken Page, who gave the orchestra a particular reputation for the music of Delius and under whom the BPO performed Mahler’s 8th symphony (the “Symphony of a Thousand”) in the Royal Albert Hall, and Robin Page, who introduced a distinctly Scandinavian flavour to the repertoire. Under the baton of current director Michael Lloyd, the BPO has played many of the symphonies of Mahler, has explored the music of Elgar in some depth, and has diversified into ballet and operatic realms.

The orchestra has been based at the Birmingham Conservatoire since 1993. It rehearses there on Sundays between September and June, giving concerts every seven to eight weeks in the Conservatoire’s Adrian Boult Hall. Six or seven concerts a year are given at other venues in the West Midlands. The BPO has also performed regularly at Symphony Hall and Town Hall Birmingham as well as some of England’s great cathedrals, and has been a mainstay of the Leominster Festival since its inception in 1980.

News . . .

The orchestra is pleased to annouce the appointment of Richard Laing as Associate Conductor.  Richard has enjoyed a close relationship with the orchestra for several years, conducting concerts in Birmingham Town Hall, Adrian Boult Hall and Leominster Priory as well as in Sutton Coldfield and Warwick, and leading the memorable performances of Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony.  Richard is looking forward greatly to his work with the orchestra. "I'm thrilled by this appointment," he says, "as the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra is such an enthusiastic and responsive group of musicians which never fails to inspire me."  Richard will be opening BPO's new season with performances of Elgar's 1st Symphony, and conducting its exciting "Myth and Magic" programme before Christmas.

Special congratulations to our Patron, the
pianist Peter Donohoe who was awarded a
CBE in the New Year Honours List 2010. Peter discussed his recent performances of Ravel's Concerto for the Left Hand with the BPO in a recent article in the Birmingham Post -“I don’t regard the main issue to be whether or not the musicians concerned are amateur or professional. It’s more important that they’re genuinely interested and committed to music."

Photographs from Sudbury, Suffolk (October 2009)

Photographs from Colston Hall, Bristol (February 2010) - and a few more

Photographs from Coventry Cathedral (April 2010)

Birmingham Community Foundation and the BPO are delighted to announce their partnership in the creation of a BPO Grassroots Community Fund where funds donated between now and March 2011 can be doubled by a Government Initiative called the Grassroots Endowment Challenge - helping to support local disadvantaged communities access Arts, Music & Culture.

BPO principal clarinetist and publicity organiser Alastair Moseley was featured in the Birmingham Post in a special article on 17 April 2009, promoting our Environment Prom at Symphony Hall on Sunday 26 April which featured Classic FM chart-topping The Lark Ascending by Vaughan-Williams and the premiere of Ian Barnett's Ballads for a Living Planet. See Review from the Birmingham Post, 28 April 2009.

The BPO was featured playing Delius on Radio 3 Amateur Orchestra Showcase on Tuesday 3 October 2006 - available here - MP3 (4.1 mb)

A number of old photographs and copies of programmes dating back to the 1940s have recently been donated to the orchestra by Roger Preston. Most of them are now available on the Archives and History pages. Any information about dates, venues or people in the photos would be gratefully received.

More Infomation - other ways to get in touch with the orchestra, information on vacancies.

Who's Who - conductors, players and the committee

Archives - the history of the orchestra and a database of performances