  New to Classical Music Professional Orchestras in the UK   The UK enjoys a huge variety of professional orchestras and ensembles, which differ in their size, style, repertoire, location and funding. The following brief overview is by no means comprehensive, but gives an idea of the shape of our orchestral profession. It is useful to remember that although orchestras are often based mainly in one place, many of them have a variety of small residencies and give concerts in other places around the UK, as part of a tour, or separate engagements by festivals and concert promoters.
The orchestras marked * receive annual funding from respective Arts Councils (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales).
The following are contract orchestras, which means they employ their players on full-time salaries:
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra * based in Poole, residencies across south west
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra* resident in Birmingham
Hallé Orchestra * resident in Manchester
Northern Sinfonia* resident in Newcastle (part of The Sage Gateshead)
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra* resident in Liverpool
Royal Scottish National Orchestra* based in Glasgow, residencies across Scotland
Ulster Orchestra* resident in Belfast
The following all have fixed membership, but are essentially freelance orchestras. The four London symphony orchestras are self-governing:
Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra resident in Brighton
Guildford Philhamonic* resident in Guildford
London Philharmonic Orchestra* resident at the Royal Festival Hall, Eastbourne, Glyndebourne during season
London Symphony Orchestra * resident at the Barbican
Milton%20Keynes%20City%20Orchestra* resident in Milton Keynes
Philharmonia Orchestra* residencies at the Royal Festival Hall, Bedford, Leicester
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra * residencies at the, Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Nottingham
The following companies have their own orchestras:
The ones marked # employ full time musicians on a contract
Birmingham Royal Ballet *
Northern Ballet Theatre *
Carl Rosa Opera
Opera North * #
D’oyly Carte
Royal Opera House * #
English National Ballet *
Scottish Ballet *
English National Opera* #
Scottish Opera * #
English Touring Opera*
Welsh National Opera * #
Glyndebourne Touring Opera *
The BBC has five orchestras of its own, all on full-time salaries:
BBC Concert Orchestra based in London
BBC National Orchestra of Wales based in Cardiff (also gets AC Wales funding)
BBC Philharmonic based in Manchester
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra based in Glasgow
BBC Symphony Orchestra based in London
Raymond Gubbay’s orchestras were formed to enable him to present his popular classical galas across the country. They are based on pools of local freelance musicians.
Dublin and Belfast Concert Orchestra
Manchester Concert Orchestra
Johann Strauss Gala Orchestra
Mozart Festival Orchestra
London Concert Orchestra
Scottish Concert Orchestra
Manchester Chamber Orchestra
There are a large number of chamber orchestras all over the UK whose work consists of performances, educational and community projects, recordings and tours. ‘Project funding’ or ‘fixed term funding’ may be available to them from their Arts Council and some of them receive funding and engagements from Local Authorities.
GENERAL
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
The Ambache Ensemble
Britten Sinfonia
Brunel Ensemble
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
City of London Sinfonia
City of Oxford Orchestra
English Chamber Orchestra
English Classical Players
English Sinfonia
English Symphony Orchestra
London Mozart Players *
London Pro Arte
Manchester Camerata *
New London Orchestra
Orchestra da Camera
Orchestra of the Swan *
Orchestra of St. John's *
Oxford Philomusica
Scottish Chamber Orchestra *
Sinfonia Verdi
Southbank Sinfonia
ViVA - orchestra of the East Midlands *
PERIOD ENSEMBLES
Academy of Ancient Music
English Baroque Soloists
English Concert
European Union Baroque Orchestra
The Hanover Band
King's Consort
London Handel Orchestra
New Queen's Hall Orchestra
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment *
Orchestre Revolutionaire et Romantique
CONTEMPORARY ENSEMBLE
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group *
Britten Sinfonia
Composers Ensemble
London Sinfonietta *
Nash Ensemble
Psappha
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