The London Symphony Orchestra is widely regarded to be amongst the top five orchestras in the world, on the strength of its performances alone, but there is much more to its work than concerts in concert-halls. Its many activities include an energetic and ground-breaking education and community programme, a record company, exciting work in the field of information technology, and much more.
100 years after it was formed the LSO still attracts the best players, many of whom have flourishing solo, chamber music or teaching careers alongside their orchestral work. The LSO's roster of soloists and conductors is second to none, starting with current Principal Conductor Sir Colin Davis, whose long association with the LSO has reached a pinnacle of achievement over the last few years, with extraordinary concert performances and multi-award-winning recordings. Valery Gergiev takes over as Principal Conductor in January 2007, Daniel Harding joins Michael Tilson Thomas as Principal Guest Conductor in 2006, and Sir Colin Davis stays on as President, only the fifth in the Orchestra's entire history.
LSO St Luke's, the UBS and LSO music education centre on Old Street, is expanding its artistic programme to include more BBC Radio 3 lunchtime chamber concerts, Asian Music Circuit promotions and UBS recitals with top artists from diverse musical backgrounds. LSO Discovery is facilitating music education using new technology and building ever-stronger links with the local community and in Hackney and Islington schools. LSO Live is the best-selling orchestral own-label in the world and is regularly No 1 in the classical downloads charts on iTunes.
Please visit www.lso.co.uk for further information.
Photo courtesy of Alberto Venzago
