BBC Concert Orchestra - About The Orchestra

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Biography

Hear and there...

Question: Where can you hear the BBC Concert Orchestra?
Answer: Er...in a concert hall?

Well, yes, that's true...but then, as Oscar Wilde observed in The Importance of Being Earnest, 'the truth is rarely pure and never simple'. And the truth about this unique orchestra is that, although in just over a year it has played an impressive 111 performances in halls across 14 UK towns and another 13 cities abroad - add travel time and rehearsals and the figures look even more impressive - the concerts don't tell the full story.

Full biography of the BBC Concert Orchestra

Associate Composer: Guy Barker

Composer in Association: Jonny Greenwood

Guy Barker has been nominated twice for the Mercury Prize for albums Into The Blue and Soundtrack, and arranged music for Anthony Minghella’s film The Talented Mister Ripley, in which he also duetted with actor Matt Damon.

He has appeared on records by Sting and performed with an array of acclaimed musicians, including Sammy Davis Jnr, Gil Evans, Quincy Jones, Frank Sinatra, Clark Terry and Stan Tracey.

Barker’s first work as Associate Composer will be premiered by the orchestra at the Aldeburgh Festival on 12 June 2013, and takes inspiration from Benjamin Britten in his centenary year. Combining the full forces of the BBC Concert Orchestra with a 15-piece jazz ensemble, male vocalist and actress, That Obscure Hurt is a co-commission by BBC Radio 3 and Aldeburgh Music, and its world premiere will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.