Orchestra of the Swan

Orchestra of the Swan is an English professional chamber orchestra based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. It is Resident Orchestra at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, The Courtyard Hereford and the Stratford Play House with regular concert series at Number 8 Pershore, Malvern Theatres and Cheltenham Town Hall. It performs regularly in London, Coventry, Bedworth, Loughborough, Warwick, Exeter, Keswick and Lichfield.[1]

Founded in 1995 by David Curtis, the orchestra is now artistically led by Artistic Director David Le Page. It gives over 40 concerts annually and is increasing its overseas touring. In 2014 the orchestra undertook its first highly successful tour to China. In 2016 OOTS performed in the Istanbul International Festival, and in 2017-18 toured to Mexico and New York (Carnegie Hall). OOTS has also toured the UK with groups such as Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel and James, with sell-out performances at London’s Albert Hall.

Recordings have been Gramophone Choice, Album of the Week on Classic Fm (UK) and Washington Public Radio and live concert recordings are frequently broadcast on USA Performance Today, in Canada and Australia.

New works

The orchestra’s extensive discography includes its most recent album 'Timelapse' (Album of the Week on Classic FM and Scala Radio and achieving over 1 million audio streams), that melds classical repertoire with orchestral arrangements of popular songs. Further recordings feature repertoire by Barber, Bax, Berlioz, Brahms, Copland, Debussy, Elgar, Finzi, Ireland, Mahler, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Schumann, Strauss, Vaughan Williams and the world premiere recording of the complete symphonies by Hans Gál (1890-1987) conducted by Kenneth Woods.[2] The latter received outstanding critical acclaim and was featured on BBC Radio 3 ‘Composer of the Week’. In addition, Mendelssohn’s D minor Violin Concerto with Tamsin Waley-Cohen was BBC Music Magazine’s ‘Recommended Recording’.

OOTS is a major champion of new music and has premiered over 70 new works by established composers and emerging talent including Joe Cutler, Tansy Davies, Joe Duddell, Alexander Goehr, John Joubert, Roxanna Panufnik, Paul Patterson, Joseph Phibbs, Julian Philips, Dobrinka Tabakova, Errollyn Wallen, John Woolrich and many others.

Recordings of new work include Philip Sawyers' Symphonies, works for trumpet and orchestra by John McCabe, Robert Saxton and Deborah Pritchard and joint commissions with Kyo-Shin-An Arts of new work for koto, shakuhachi and chamber orchestra.[3]

References
  1. "Orchestra of the Swan". Association of British Orchestras. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  2. Midgette, Anne. "Little-known composers get their due in the studio if not the concert hall." Washington Post, 10 August 2012. Accessed on 8/13/12 at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/little-known-composers-get-their-due-in-the-studio-if-not-the-concert-hall/2012/08/09/d7b5c1c2-e0b6-11e1-8fc5-a7dcf1fc161d_story.html. See also Arkivmusic page for Gál, accessed on 8/13/12 at: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Name/Hans-Gál/Composer/4144-1
  3. Davies, Emma (2011-04-22). "Marathon man's success with Orchestra of the Swan". Birmingham Post. Trinity Mirror Midlands. Retrieved 2011-12-18.



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