City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra



The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. Its principal concert venue is Symphony Hall, Birmingham. The CBSO's current music director is Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, effective with the 2016-2017 season. The CBSO's current chief executive, appointed in 1999, is Stephen Maddock.

History
Founded by Neville Chamberlain, the orchestra first rehearsed at 9.30am on 4 September 1920, in the band room at the Birmingham City Police's Steelhouse Lane station. The first public performance, as the City of Birmingham Orchestra occurred later that month, with Appleby Matthews, the orchestra's first chief conductor, at the baton. The programme included Overture: Saul by Granville Bantock, a strong supporter of the orchestra's foundation. However, its official foundation is generally reckoned to have been the "First Symphony Concert" in November 1920, when Edward Elgar conducted a programme of his own music in Birmingham Town Hall.

Adrian Boult was chief conductor from 1924 to 1930. The CBO became a full-time organisation in 1944, changing its name to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in 1948. Chief conductors since then included Rudolf Schwarz, the composer Andrzej Panufnik, Boult in an emergency return for a season after Panufnik's sudden resignation, Hugo Rignold and Louis Frémaux. During this time, the orchestra made recordings and gave regular concerts.

The CBSO began to gain greater international renown after Simon Rattle became chief conductor in 1980. Under him, the orchestra increased its recording profile and became one of the leading ensembles in Europe, and gained a name for its interpretations of late romantic and 20th century works, especially those of Sibelius and Gustav Mahler. During this period, the orchestra moved from Birmingham Town Hall to a new home venue, Symphony Hall, inside Birmingham's International Convention Centre. The nearby CBSO Centre, a converted factory, houses management offices, rehearsal facilities, and is a concert venue in its own right, for more intimate performances. The CBSO Youth Orchestra has been affiliated with the CBSO since 2004.

Rattle was named music director of the CBSO in 1990. That same year, the post of Radcliffe Composer in Association was created, with Mark-Anthony Turnage filling the role. In 1995 Judith Weir became Fairbairn Composer in Association, followed in 2001 by Julian Anderson.

After Rattle relinquished his posts with the CBSO, Sakari Oramo became chief conductor in 1998, and music director in 1999. His CBSO work included the Floof! festival of contemporary music. He also championed the music of John Foulds in concerts and recordings. In 2001, the players rejected a contract that would have stopped extra payments for broadcasts and recordings, in the context of financial crisis at the CBSO. In addition, other controversy arose from the CBSO's demands from the Arts Council for a greater share of the Council's stabilisation fund, because of its reputation compared to other British orchestras. In 2008, Oramo stood down as music director and took the title of principal guest conductor for the 2008-2009 season.

In October 2007, the CBSO named Andris Nelsons as its next music director after Oramo, effective with the 2008–2009 season. Nelsons' initial contract was for 3 years. The appointment was unusual in that Nelsons had not conducted the CBSO publicly prior to his appointment, but only in a private concert and in a recording session. In July 2009, the orchestra extended Nelsons' contract for another 3 years, through the 2013–2014 season. In August 2012, the CBSO announced the further extension of Nelsons' contract formally through the 2014-2015 season, and then for subsequent seasons on the basis of an annual rolling renewal. In October 2013, the CBSO announced the conclusion of Nelsons' tenure as music director after the conclusion of the 2014-2015 season.

The CBSO's most recent principal guest conductor was Edward Gardner. He began in the post in September 2011, with an initial contract of 3 years, for 3–4 weeks of concerts per season. He concluded his tenure as CBSO principal guest conductor in July 2016. The CBSO's current associate conductor is Michael Seal, and its current assistant conductor is Jonathan Bloxham.

In July 2015, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla first guest-conducted the CBSO. She was subsequently engaged for an additional concert with the CBSO in January 2016. In February 2016, the CBSO named her as its next music director, effective September 2016, with an initial contract of 3 years. She is the first female conductor to be named music director of the CBSO. She conducted her first concert as CBSO music director on 26 August 2016. In December 2016, the orchestra learned of pending budget reductions of support from Birmingham City Council, on the order of 25%, effective April 2017.

The CBSO has recorded extensively for labels such as EMI Classics, Warner Classics, and Orfeo. The orchestra has also released recordings under its own self-produced label.

Chief Conductors and Music Directors

 * Appleby Matthews (1920–1924)
 * Adrian Boult (1924–1930)
 * Leslie Heward (1930–1943)
 * George Weldon (1944–1951)
 * Rudolf Schwarz (1951–1957)
 * Andrzej Panufnik (1957–1959)
 * Adrian Boult (1959–1960)


 * Hugo Rignold (1960–1969)
 * Louis Frémaux (1969–1978)
 * Simon Rattle (1980–1998)
 * Sakari Oramo (1998–2008)
 * Andris Nelsons (2008–2015)
 * Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla (2016-present)