BBC National Orchestra of Wales
BBC National Orchestra of Wales occupies a special role as both a national and broadcasting orchestra, acclaimed not only for the quality of its performances but also for its importance within its own community.
The Orchestra has won considerable critical and audience acclaim over recent years, under its formidable conducting team of Principal Conductor Thierry Fischer, Principal Guest Conductor Jac van Steen, Associate Guest Conductor François-Xavier Roth and Conductor Laureate Tadaaki Otaka. As well as an outstanding ability to refresh core repertoire, the Orchestra is proud of its adventurous programming and continuously demonstrates artistic excellence in new or rarely performed works. In summer 2008 Simon Holt took up the role of Composer-in-Association, a post previously held by Michael Berkeley, consolidating the ensemble’s commitment to performing contemporary music.
BBC National Orchestra of Wales is Orchestrain-Residence at St David’s Hall, Cardiff, and also presents a concert series at the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. As well as international touring, it is in demand at major UK festivals and performs every year at the BBC Proms and biennially at the prestigious BBC Cardiff Singer of the World.
Education and Community Outreach is integral to the Orchestra’s musical life and the department have been challenging conventions for nearly fifteen years, extending the work of the Orchestra into schools, workplaces and communities.
The Orchestra is based at its state-of-the-art recording and rehearsal base, BBC Hoddinott Hall at Wales Millennium Centre. It enjoys close working relationships with radio and television programme-makers and continues to record numerous soundtracks, including BBC Wales’s Doctor Who and Torchwood series and the BBC’s Human Planet series.
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