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NEWS ROUND-UP News in brief Conductor Sakari Oramo has announced the extension of his contract as chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra to 2030. The announcement, made ahead of the Finnish conductor’s performance at the Last Night of the Proms, means Oramo will remain with the orchestra until its centenary as well as opening the orchestra's season at the Barbican Centre with Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 ‘Tragic’ (26 September) before continuing his exploration of the music of Kaija Saariaho across three projects in the new season. Soprano Henna Mun has won the 2024 John Christie Award. The announcement was made from the stage at Glyndebourne Opera House during company chairman Gus Christie’s traditional last night speech. Given by Glyndebourne in partnership with the Musicians’ Company, the award includes a £15,000 scholarship and is designed to support the career and further study of an outstanding young artist in the Glyndebourne Festival company. The English city of Bradford has launched its programme as the UK’s City of Culture 2025. Events are set to include a concert of symphonic versions of bassline classics and a collaboration between the Royal Ballet and Opera, Northern Ballet and Opera North alongside arts events across the city under the leadership of former chief executive of Bradford Council Kersten England and her team of local creatives. Bath Festival Orchestra rebrands as Chromatica Orchestra A fresh start: Chromatica Orchestra performs in Hackney under its previous name Bath Festival Orchestra The newly renamed Chromatica Orchestra has announced it will make its debut at Battersea Arts Centre in London in October. The orchestra, formerly known as Bath Festival Orchestra, aims to bring together early-career musicians and emerging conductors. The orchestra has also announced the appointment of Alison Tedbury as its new executive director. As well as experience as interim CEO at the Academy of St Martin’s in the Fields, after several years leading the Concerts, Touring and Planning Department, Tedbury's previous roles also include orchestra manager with the Royal Opera House. Tedbury said: ‘I’m excited to join Chromatica Orchestra for its inaugural season. This is an organisation that pushes boundaries, and its inventiveness and aspiration are together a draw and a testament to the whole team. I look forward to shaping its exciting future’. The transformed ensemble will base its inaugural season around the theme of ‘Orchestra Unleashed’. The opening concert, led by one of two new Emerging Conductor fellows, Charlotte Politi, features violinists Kristine Balanas and Maren Bosma (who is also Chromatica Orchestra’s leader) alongside mezzo-soprano Natalia Kutateladze. Further collaborators across the upcoming season will include horn player Ben Goldscheider, tenor Robin Tritschler and violinist Valeriy Sokolov. Alongside Politi and Tedbury, the inaugural season will also feature Emerging Conductor fellow Tess Jackson and founding artistic director Peter Manning. Chromatica Orchestra does not receive public subsidy and has instead been made possible by the support of a small group of private donors who are keen to support the orchestra and its engagement efforts. As well as the Emerging Conductor Fellowship, which offers conductors the chance to create and present their own programmes, the orchestra will also launch a programme of engagement including visiting schools and offering students the opportunity to perform side by side with the orchestra on stage as part of the main season. Chromatica Orchestra chairman Charles Lewington said: ‘Investing in music education isn’t just about cultivating potential future stars; it’s about enriching lives and communities, instilling valuable life skills such as teamwork and problemsolving, and sharing the joy of live music-making. Supporting music education is a cause that means a lot to us at Chromatica Orchestra, and we’re proud to be able to work with these talented young people and share the joy that music can bring.’ 6 | Classical Music | Autumn 2024 classical-music.uk
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NEWS ROUND-UP

News in brief Conductor Sakari Oramo has announced the extension of his contract as chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra to 2030. The announcement, made ahead of the Finnish conductor’s performance at the Last Night of the Proms, means Oramo will remain with the orchestra until its centenary as well as opening the orchestra's season at the Barbican Centre with Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 ‘Tragic’ (26 September) before continuing his exploration of the music of Kaija Saariaho across three projects in the new season.

Soprano Henna Mun has won the 2024 John Christie Award. The announcement was made from the stage at Glyndebourne Opera House during company chairman Gus Christie’s traditional last night speech. Given by Glyndebourne in partnership with the Musicians’ Company, the award includes a £15,000 scholarship and is designed to support the career and further study of an outstanding young artist in the Glyndebourne Festival company.

The English city of Bradford has launched its programme as the UK’s City of Culture 2025. Events are set to include a concert of symphonic versions of bassline classics and a collaboration between the Royal Ballet and Opera, Northern Ballet and Opera North alongside arts events across the city under the leadership of former chief executive of Bradford Council Kersten England and her team of local creatives.

Bath Festival Orchestra rebrands as Chromatica Orchestra

A fresh start: Chromatica Orchestra performs in Hackney under its previous name Bath Festival Orchestra

The newly renamed Chromatica Orchestra has announced it will make its debut at Battersea Arts Centre in London in October. The orchestra, formerly known as Bath Festival Orchestra, aims to bring together early-career musicians and emerging conductors.

The orchestra has also announced the appointment of Alison Tedbury as its new executive director. As well as experience as interim CEO at the Academy of St Martin’s in the Fields, after several years leading the Concerts, Touring and Planning Department, Tedbury's previous roles also include orchestra manager with the Royal Opera House.

Tedbury said: ‘I’m excited to join Chromatica Orchestra for its inaugural season. This is an organisation that pushes boundaries, and its inventiveness and aspiration are together a draw and a testament to the whole team.

I look forward to shaping its exciting future’.

The transformed ensemble will base its inaugural season around the theme of ‘Orchestra Unleashed’. The opening concert, led by one of two new Emerging Conductor fellows, Charlotte Politi, features violinists Kristine Balanas and Maren Bosma (who is also Chromatica Orchestra’s leader) alongside mezzo-soprano Natalia Kutateladze. Further collaborators across the upcoming season will include horn player Ben Goldscheider, tenor Robin Tritschler and violinist Valeriy Sokolov.

Alongside Politi and Tedbury, the inaugural season will also feature Emerging Conductor fellow Tess Jackson and founding artistic director Peter Manning. Chromatica Orchestra does not receive public subsidy and has instead been made possible by the support of a small group of private donors who are keen to support the orchestra and its engagement efforts. As well as the Emerging Conductor Fellowship, which offers conductors the chance to create and present their own programmes, the orchestra will also launch a programme of engagement including visiting schools and offering students the opportunity to perform side by side with the orchestra on stage as part of the main season.

Chromatica Orchestra chairman Charles Lewington said: ‘Investing in music education isn’t just about cultivating potential future stars; it’s about enriching lives and communities, instilling valuable life skills such as teamwork and problemsolving, and sharing the joy of live music-making. Supporting music education is a cause that means a lot to us at Chromatica Orchestra, and we’re proud to be able to work with these talented young people and share the joy that music can bring.’

6 | Classical Music | Autumn 2024

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