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About the Orchestra
Patron: HRH The Duke of York
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor: Charles Dutoit
Acknowledged as one of the UK’s most prestigious orchestras, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) enjoys an international reputation for bringing audiences worldwide first-class performances and the highest possible standards of music-making across a diverse range of musical repertoire. This was the vision of the Orchestra’s flamboyant founder Sir Thomas Beecham, whose legacy is maintained today as the Orchestra thrives under the exceptional direction of its Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Maestro Charles Dutoit.
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor: Charles Dutoit
Acknowledged as one of the UK’s most prestigious orchestras, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) enjoys an international reputation for bringing audiences worldwide first-class performances and the highest possible standards of music-making across a diverse range of musical repertoire. This was the vision of the Orchestra’s flamboyant founder Sir Thomas Beecham, whose legacy is maintained today as the Orchestra thrives under the exceptional direction of its Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Maestro Charles Dutoit.
This season celebrating its 65th year, the Orchestra has had the privilege of forging musical collaborations with such esteemed conductors as Rudolf Kempe, Antal Doráti, André Previn, Vladimir Ashkenazy and more recently Daniele Gatti. Other high-ranking conductors who regularly take the podium include Pinchas Zukerman as Principal Guest Conductor, Grzegorz Nowak as Principal Associate Conductor and Dirk Joeres as Permanent Guest Conductor. Daniele Gatti continues his association with the Orchestra as Conductor Laureate.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is London-based and performs a prestigious series of concerts each year at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. The Orchestra’s 2011-2012 series features Charles Dutoit, Pinchas Zukerman, Daniele Gatti, Nigel Kennedy, Andrew Litton, Julia Fischer and Kirill Karabits. The Orchestra’s London home is at Cadogan Hall, in the heart of the capital, just off Sloane Square. This idyllic location offers an intimate atmosphere for concert-goers, with the current series of concerts featuring Grzegorz Nowak, Freddy Kempf and Natalie Clein. Complementing the concert series at Cadogan Hall, the Orchestra regularly performs in the magnificent Royal Albert Hall, presenting works of great magnitude in a varied series of concerts, ranging from large-scale choral and orchestral works to themed evenings of contemporary popular repertoire, all designed to suit the immensity of this historic and grand venue.
Within the UK, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is committed to offering an extensive regional touring programme, with established residencies in Croydon, Northampton, Lowestoft, Reading and Crawley. The Orchestra also gives regular performances at other venues throughout the UK, including forthcoming engagements in Ipswich, High Wycombe and Dartford. As an international orchestra, the RPO has toured more than thirty countries in the last five years. Recent tours have included performances in Japan, Egypt, Russia, Spain, Italy, Germany, Azerbaijan and China. The 2011-2012 season begins with the second year of the Orchestra’s annual residency in Montreux, Switzerland under Charles Dutoit, with guest artists including Yefim Bronfman and Lisa Batiashvili. Autumn 2011 sees a tour to Spain with Pinchas Zukerman and concerts in Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein and Italy with Charles Dutoit and Yuja Wang. In January 2012 the Orchestra will embark on a month-long tour of the major cities of the USA with Charles Dutoit, Pinchas Zukerman and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and 2012 will also see concerts in Spain, Eastern Europe and Dublin with artists including Charles Dutoit, Pinchas Zukerman and Julia Fischer.
The Orchestra is also recognised for its artistic work through a vibrant and innovative community and education programme, titled RPO resound. Specially trained members of the Orchestra, alongside accomplished project leaders, provide comprehensive workshops where music is used as a powerful and inspirational force. RPO resound prides itself on working in a wide variety of settings, including projects connected with homeless people, youth clubs, the probation service and terminally ill children.
Frequently found in the recording studio, the Orchestra records extensively for film and television as well as for all the major commercial record companies. The Orchestra also owns its own record label and is proud to be the first UK orchestra to stream its entire series of concerts live from Cadogan Hall.
What the critics say!
'The RPO’s athletic and fastidious response to this impressive score of interruptions and luminous twinklings augured well for Dutoit’s new reign as the orchestra’s principal conductor.' The Times, August 2009
‘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.’ The Guardian
‘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 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is London-based and performs a prestigious series of concerts each year at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. The Orchestra’s 2011-2012 series features Charles Dutoit, Pinchas Zukerman, Daniele Gatti, Nigel Kennedy, Andrew Litton, Julia Fischer and Kirill Karabits. The Orchestra’s London home is at Cadogan Hall, in the heart of the capital, just off Sloane Square. This idyllic location offers an intimate atmosphere for concert-goers, with the current series of concerts featuring Grzegorz Nowak, Freddy Kempf and Natalie Clein. Complementing the concert series at Cadogan Hall, the Orchestra regularly performs in the magnificent Royal Albert Hall, presenting works of great magnitude in a varied series of concerts, ranging from large-scale choral and orchestral works to themed evenings of contemporary popular repertoire, all designed to suit the immensity of this historic and grand venue.
Within the UK, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is committed to offering an extensive regional touring programme, with established residencies in Croydon, Northampton, Lowestoft, Reading and Crawley. The Orchestra also gives regular performances at other venues throughout the UK, including forthcoming engagements in Ipswich, High Wycombe and Dartford. As an international orchestra, the RPO has toured more than thirty countries in the last five years. Recent tours have included performances in Japan, Egypt, Russia, Spain, Italy, Germany, Azerbaijan and China. The 2011-2012 season begins with the second year of the Orchestra’s annual residency in Montreux, Switzerland under Charles Dutoit, with guest artists including Yefim Bronfman and Lisa Batiashvili. Autumn 2011 sees a tour to Spain with Pinchas Zukerman and concerts in Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein and Italy with Charles Dutoit and Yuja Wang. In January 2012 the Orchestra will embark on a month-long tour of the major cities of the USA with Charles Dutoit, Pinchas Zukerman and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and 2012 will also see concerts in Spain, Eastern Europe and Dublin with artists including Charles Dutoit, Pinchas Zukerman and Julia Fischer.
The Orchestra is also recognised for its artistic work through a vibrant and innovative community and education programme, titled RPO resound. Specially trained members of the Orchestra, alongside accomplished project leaders, provide comprehensive workshops where music is used as a powerful and inspirational force. RPO resound prides itself on working in a wide variety of settings, including projects connected with homeless people, youth clubs, the probation service and terminally ill children.
Frequently found in the recording studio, the Orchestra records extensively for film and television as well as for all the major commercial record companies. The Orchestra also owns its own record label and is proud to be the first UK orchestra to stream its entire series of concerts live from Cadogan Hall.
What the critics say!
'The RPO’s athletic and fastidious response to this impressive score of interruptions and luminous twinklings augured well for Dutoit’s new reign as the orchestra’s principal conductor.' The Times, August 2009
‘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.’ The Guardian
‘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
