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Philharmonia Orchestra 
From auspicious beginnings in 1945 when it was established by EMI executive Walter Legge primarily as a recording orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra went on to attract some of the 20th century's greatest conductors. The Orchestra is extremely proud to have worked under such eminent names as Furtwängler, Richard Strauss, Toscanini, Cantelli and Karajan. Otto Klemperer was the first of many outstanding Principal Conductors of the Philharmonia Orchestra throughout its history. Other great names include Lorin Maazel, who became Associate Principal Conductor in 1970, Riccardo Muti, appointed Principal Conductor in 1973 and Music Director in 1979; Giuseppe Sinopoli (Music Director 1983-1994), Carlo Maria Giulini, Andrew Davis, Vladimir Ashkenazy and Esa-Pekka Salonen. For the 1999/00 season the Orchestra is joined by a galaxy of the finest conductors, including Vladimir Ashkenazy, Valery Gergiev, Richard Hickox, Alexander Lazarev, Kurt Sanderling and David Zinman, with world-class soloists including Joshua Bell, Barbara Bonney, Kyung Wha Chung, Evgeny Kissin, Mikhail Pletnev, András Schiff, Frederica von Stade and Mitsuko Uchida. The decision of the Hoffmann Committee several years ago to endorse the Philharmonia Orchestra as its preferred choice among London's orchestras has been amply justified by several major awards during the past few seasons, including two Evening Standard Awards; Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award and the Outstanding Ensemble Award; and the Royal Philharmonic Society's Large Ensemble Award. The Orchestra has also won unanimous critical acclaim for its innovative programming policy, at the heart of which is a commitment to performing and commissioning new music by the world's leading living composers, among them its current Visiting Composer, James MacMillan, who is also Artistic Director of the Music of Today series. The RPS awarded the Philharmonia Orchestra and SBC's joint series, Clocks and Clouds: The music of György Ligeti, its Best Concert Series in 1997. As the world's most recorded symphony orchestra with well over 1000 releases to its credit, recording continues to play a significant part in the Orchestra's activities. The Philharmonia Orchestra also plays a prominent role as one of the UK's most energetic musical ambassadors. It tours frequently; during the current season it performs in Austria, Australia, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey (at the Istanbul Festival) and the USA, in addition to its prestigious residency at the Châtelet Theatre in Paris and its annual residency at The Megaron, Athens. The Philharmonia Orchestra's unparalleled international reputation continues to attract the cream of Europe's talented young players to its ranks. This, combined with its brilliant roster of conductors and soloists, and the unique warmth of sound and vitality it brings to a vast range of repertoire, ensure performances of outstanding calibre greeted by the highest critical praise. Photo Philharmonia: Richard Haughton Philharmonia Orchestra on Guild Music
Page revised 28.11.2001 |
One of the world's great orchestras, the Philharmonia Orchestra has
entered the new millennium during the most exciting and dynamic phase in its distinguished
history. The Orchestra is now in its third season with renowned German maestro Christoph
von Dohnányi as Principal Conductor, who had been Principal Guest Conductor since 1995 as
well as Music Director of The Cleveland Orchestra. Under his leadership, and with Leonard
Slatkin as Principal Guest Conductor, the Philharmonia Orchestra has consolidated its
central position in British musical life, not only in London, where it is Resident
Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, but also in the wider community, through regional
residencies. It is now in its fifth successful year as Resident Orchestra at Bedford Corn
Exchange, and its third season as resident Orchestra at Leicester's De Montfort Hall.
These innovative regional residencies have provided an ideal opportunity to expand a
dynamic educational and community-based programme.