City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO)
Orchestra
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall, Birmingham
Former name	City of Birmingham Orchestra
Founded	1920
Concert hall	Symphony Hall, Birmingham
Music director	Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) is a super famous orchestra from Britain. They play their music at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham, England. They became really well-known when Sir Simon Rattle was their conductor.

The orchestra started way back in 1920. A man named Neville Chamberlain, who later became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, helped create it. Back then, it was called the City of Birmingham Orchestra. Appleby Matthews led their very first concert. Later that year, in November, the famous composer Edward Elgar even conducted them, playing his own music at Birmingham Town Hall. Adrian Boult was their main conductor from 1924 to 1930.

How the Orchestra Grew

The orchestra became a full-time group in 1944, meaning the musicians played together all the time. In 1948, they changed their name to the "City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra" (CBSO). Important conductors after that included Rudolf Schwarz and the composer Andrzej Panufnik.

The CBSO became super famous around the world when Simon Rattle became their main conductor in 1980. The orchestra became known for playing late romantic and 20th century music, especially pieces by Sibelius and Gustav Mahler. During this time, the orchestra moved from Birmingham Town Hall to a brand new concert hall called the Symphony Hall. This hall is inside Birmingham's International Convention Centre.

Rattle was named the music director of the CBSO in 1990. In the same year, they created a new job for a composer to work closely with the orchestra. This job was called "Radcliffe Composer in Association," and Mark-Anthony Turnage was the first to have it. In 1995, Judith Weir became the Fairbairn Composer in Association, and then Julian Anderson took over in 2001.

After Rattle left his job with the CBSO in 1998, the Finnish conductor Sakari Oramo became the chief conductor that year. He became the music director in 1999.

In October 2007, the orchestra chose the Latvian conductor Andris Nelsons as the CBSO's 12th music director. He started his role with the 2008-2009 season.

The CBSO has made many recordings for music companies like EMI Classics and Warner Classics. The orchestra's chief executive (the person in charge of running things) is Stephen Maddock.

Who Has Conducted the CBSO?

Images for kids

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  The Birmingham Festival Orchestra performing at Birmingham Town Hall in 1845

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  Granville Bantock, who helped start the City of Birmingham Orchestra in 1920.

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  Appleby Matthews

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  The program for the first symphony concert, led by Edward Elgar on November 10, 1920

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  A picture of Adrian Boult in 1923 by Ishibashi Kazunori

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  Leslie Heward

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  Andrzej Panufnik

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  Louis Frémaux

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  Symphony Hall, where the orchestra has played since 1991

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  Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla conducting the CBSO at the Aldeburgh Festival in 2017

See also

In Spanish: Orquesta Sinfónica de la Ciudad de Birmingham para niños