BBC -Concert Orchestra - Appointments

BBC Concert Orchestra signs Charles Hazlewood
as Principal Guest Conductor

Charles Hazlewood is one of this country's most exciting and charismatic conductors and musical communicators.

Since winning the European Broadcasting Union conducting competition in 1995 Hazlewood has conducted many of the leading orchestras in the UK and around the world; he has a weekly radio programme on BBC Radio 3 called Charles Hazlewood Discovering Music and is well-known as the face of classical music on BBC Television - his recent Beethoven series attracting major audience acclaim.

The South African opera company which he co-founded in Cape Town - Dimpho Di Kopane - has toured the world with huge success, and its first feature film U-Carmen e-Khayelitsha recently won the Golden Bear for Best Film at the 2005 Berlin Film Festival. His passion to explore music of all varieties with the widest possible audience has led him to work with contemporary composers such as Steve Reich and Peter Maxwell Davies and artists operatingat the cutting edge of the popular music scene in the UK like Damon Gough (aka Badly Drawn Boy).

The BBC Concert Orchestra has a wide and flexible repertoire ranging from classical works and musical theatre to light music, jazz and film scores appearing with a huge range of performers every year. The Orchestra has close links with BBC Radio 3 which broadcasts the majority of its concerts; and with BBC Radio 2 where it is featured on the weekly programme Friday Night is Music Night . On BBC Television, the BBC Concert Orchestra has been seen this year in the award winning Flashmob - The Opera and is heard on the soundtracks of BBC programmes such as The Blue Planet, Space Odyssey and The Little Prince . It has made many CD recordings, with recent releases on the Chandos, Dutton and Sony Classical labels.

Charles Hazlewood said of his new appointment as Principal Guest Conductor

"I love working with the BBC Concert Orchestra. They have a voracious appetite for great music of every sort, and a passion combined with open mindedness to go the extra mile. Their zeal is uncommon, and fabulously refreshing."

Barry Wordsworth, Principal Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra said

"The BBC Concert Orchestra's paramount concern is to bring the maximum variety of music to the widest public it can reach. Charles Hazlewood communicates his passion for music with deep understanding and conviction and I am therefore delighted to welcome him as he takes up the position of Principal Guest Conductor."

Andrew Connolly, General Manager of the BBC Concert Orchestra said

"Charles Hazlewood is an artist who embodies the beliefs of the BBC Concert Orchestra with a fervour for music of all kinds and the ability to transmit this with great impact in a contemporary framework. We have a great time working with Charles on his Radio 3 Discovering Music programme and are thrilled to be now extending the relationship into all areas of our activity".

Forthcoming Performances with Charles Hazlewood and the BBC Concert Orchestra
Constant Classics, Thursday 10 November 2005, Chichester Festival Theatre
Tales of the Unexpected, Wednesday 30 November 2005, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Thursday 1 December 2005, Chichester Festival Theatre
Maximinimalists, Wednesday 7 June 2006, Queen Elizabeth Hall
Charles Hazlewood Discovering Music, BBC Radio 3, Saturdays at 2pm