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About the Orchestra
Patron: HRH The Duke of York
Music Director: Daniele Gatti
Founded in 1946 by Sir Thomas Beecham, with his vision of bringing world-class performances of the greatest music written to the length of the country, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra continues to maintain Beecham’s legacy by offering audiences in the UK and abroad the highest possible standards of music-making, accompanied by some of the most acclaimed artists of the day.
Music Director: Daniele Gatti
Founded in 1946 by Sir Thomas Beecham, with his vision of bringing world-class performances of the greatest music written to the length of the country, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra continues to maintain Beecham’s legacy by offering audiences in the UK and abroad the highest possible standards of music-making, accompanied by some of the most acclaimed artists of the day.
Since its formation, the Orchestra has been directed by some of the world’s finest conductors, most notably Rudolf Kempe, Antal Doráti, André Previn and Vladimir Ashkenazy. The RPO continues to thrive, undertaking a busy concert, touring and recording schedule, under the inspired leadership of Maestro Daniele Gatti (Music Director since 1996), achieving unanimous acclaim from audiences and critics alike: ‘Plays like a dream, with characterful wind soloists and much silvery, aristocratic string tone’ - The Times. The Orchestra is pleased to announce that from the beginning of the 2009-2010 season, Charles Dutoit will become Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, with Daniele Gatti continuing as Conductor Laureate.
The Orchestra is London-based with a residency at Cadogan Hall, Sloane Square. This idyllic location offers an intimate atmosphere, with the current series of concerts featuring acclaimed artists such as Julian Lloyd Webber, Grzegorz Nowak and Lara St John. Complementing the luxurious surroundings of its resident season, the RPO also performs regularly at the magnificent Royal Albert Hall, presenting works of great magnitude in a varied series designed to suit the immensity of this grand venue. Highlights in the current season range from popular classics such as Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto and Verdi’s Requiem to The Music of Bond and Best of Broadway. The Orchestra’s series at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall continues in the 2009-2010 season with artists of the highest calibre, such as Charles Dutoit, Renée Fleming and Vadim Repin.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra uses its schedule in the capital as the springboard for a comprehensive regional touring programme including residencies in Northampton, Croydon, Lowestoft, Reading and Crawley. The Orchestra also plays to tens of thousands of people across the country in open-air concerts throughout the summer months each year.
As an international orchestra, the RPO has toured more than thirty countries in the last five years, with significant engagements including concerts in the Vatican and Tiananmen Square, China. More recent tours have included Egypt, Moscow, Spain, Italy, Germany, a month in the USA with Pinchas Zukerman and two weeks in Far East Asia. September 2009 sees a fortnight-long tour of Japan with Freddy Kempf under Tomomi Nishimoto.
The RPO extends its artistic work through a vibrant and innovative Community and Education programme. Using music as a powerful and motivating force, the RPO works in a variety of settings including projects with homeless people, youth clubs, the probation service, schools and families. RPO Community and Education projects promote live music-making, reflecting the diversity of the individuals involved, as well as the Orchestra’s own background.
The RPO records widely for all the major commercial record companies, with no less than five of its CDs featuring in the record charts last year. The Orchestra also has its own record label, which includes the popular Here Come The Classics™ series. These recordings reflect the versatility of the RPO’s repertoire, ranging from popular orchestral and choral works to film classics and hits from musicals.
What the critics say!
‘The Orchestra was electric, the strings ... on masterful form. The brass gently warmed the texture or smashed clean through it with confident blasts, and the woodwind, too, were very much alive to the demands ... Gatti, conducting from memory, was on fire.’ The Guardian, August 2008
‘The Royal Philharmonic was on top form, with exquisite woodwind solos ... and with Daniele Gatti conducting ... very much as a man of the theatre.’ The Times, August 2008
‘Brass and timpani played ... with such exciting ferocity. Woodwind were always eloquent, too. But the strings, led by Clio Gould, excelled. Their tone is strong and focused ... ’ Evening Standard, August 2008
‘Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ... remains a force to be reckoned with. Indeed, this was possibly the most satisfying concert I have attended this summer. This is clearly as dynamic a conductor-orchestra partnership as any in London at the moment.’ Sunday Times
The Orchestra is London-based with a residency at Cadogan Hall, Sloane Square. This idyllic location offers an intimate atmosphere, with the current series of concerts featuring acclaimed artists such as Julian Lloyd Webber, Grzegorz Nowak and Lara St John. Complementing the luxurious surroundings of its resident season, the RPO also performs regularly at the magnificent Royal Albert Hall, presenting works of great magnitude in a varied series designed to suit the immensity of this grand venue. Highlights in the current season range from popular classics such as Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto and Verdi’s Requiem to The Music of Bond and Best of Broadway. The Orchestra’s series at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall continues in the 2009-2010 season with artists of the highest calibre, such as Charles Dutoit, Renée Fleming and Vadim Repin.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra uses its schedule in the capital as the springboard for a comprehensive regional touring programme including residencies in Northampton, Croydon, Lowestoft, Reading and Crawley. The Orchestra also plays to tens of thousands of people across the country in open-air concerts throughout the summer months each year.
As an international orchestra, the RPO has toured more than thirty countries in the last five years, with significant engagements including concerts in the Vatican and Tiananmen Square, China. More recent tours have included Egypt, Moscow, Spain, Italy, Germany, a month in the USA with Pinchas Zukerman and two weeks in Far East Asia. September 2009 sees a fortnight-long tour of Japan with Freddy Kempf under Tomomi Nishimoto.
The RPO extends its artistic work through a vibrant and innovative Community and Education programme. Using music as a powerful and motivating force, the RPO works in a variety of settings including projects with homeless people, youth clubs, the probation service, schools and families. RPO Community and Education projects promote live music-making, reflecting the diversity of the individuals involved, as well as the Orchestra’s own background.
The RPO records widely for all the major commercial record companies, with no less than five of its CDs featuring in the record charts last year. The Orchestra also has its own record label, which includes the popular Here Come The Classics™ series. These recordings reflect the versatility of the RPO’s repertoire, ranging from popular orchestral and choral works to film classics and hits from musicals.
What the critics say!
‘The Orchestra was electric, the strings ... on masterful form. The brass gently warmed the texture or smashed clean through it with confident blasts, and the woodwind, too, were very much alive to the demands ... Gatti, conducting from memory, was on fire.’ The Guardian, August 2008
‘The Royal Philharmonic was on top form, with exquisite woodwind solos ... and with Daniele Gatti conducting ... very much as a man of the theatre.’ The Times, August 2008
‘Brass and timpani played ... with such exciting ferocity. Woodwind were always eloquent, too. But the strings, led by Clio Gould, excelled. Their tone is strong and focused ... ’ Evening Standard, August 2008
‘Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ... remains a force to be reckoned with. Indeed, this was possibly the most satisfying concert I have attended this summer. This is clearly as dynamic a conductor-orchestra partnership as any in London at the moment.’ Sunday Times
