This season of world-class music — both in the concert hall and the community — will be launched with a new artistic team and a raft of new initiatives to support wellbeing. Mark Wigglesworth and Chloé van Soeterstède mark their arrival as Chief Conductor and Principal Guest Conductor respectively with a shared Brahms cycle and Enyi Okpara makes his BSO debut as the new Calleva Assistant Conductor.

Violinist Alena Baeva becomes the BSO’s Artist-in-Residence, appearing in concerto performances and a chamber recital with pianist Vadym Kholodenko, in addition to BSO Participate workshops.

We’ll continue to share live music with communities both near and far — from ‘BSO On Your Doorstep’ concerts in towns and villages to the continuation of its Digital Concert series, with 17 symphonic performances broadcast globally.

Kirill Karabits OBE, in his new role of Conductor Laureate & Artistic Director, Voices from the East, will unite with accordionist Ksenija Sidorova, who makes her BSO debut.

Our BSO Participate team deepens its broad range of health and wellbeing and music education initiatives, including: a new residency in partnership with NHS Dorset; an expansion of its creative health work across the region; and the extension of the BSO Young Associates community music training scheme.

Mark Wigglesworth, incoming Chief Conductor of the BSO, said:
“This upcoming season reflects the BSO’s fundamental belief that live music is for everybody, hearing no boundaries and seeing no barriers. Wherever you live in the Southwest of England, you will be able to experience a vast breadth of repertoire performed with great depth of passion and understanding by the orchestra and the guest artists that will be joining us from all over the world. I hope that regular friends of the BSO will continue to be inspired by what we do and that newcomers will be thrilled to discover how a live concert can create an emotional space of infinite possibilities.”

There’ll be anticipated debuts for: accordionist Ksenija Sidorova; baritone Andrew Hamilton; cellist Laura van der Heijden; conductors Alexandre Bloch, Kevin John Edusei, Adam Hickox, Enyi Okpara, Valentina Peleggi and Elena Schwarz; pianists Alim Beisembayev, Elisabeth Brauss, Clare Hammond and Nicholas McCarthy; viola player Lise Berthaud; and violinist Rosanne Philippens.

And returns for: clarinettist Julian Bliss; conductors: Tom Fetherstonhaugh, Kerem Hasan, Tianyi Lu, Gergely Madaras, Nicholas McGegan, Alexander Soddy, Jac van Steen, and Karl-Heinz Steffens; pianists Martin James Bartlett, Boris Giltburg, Nelson Goerner, Sir Stephen Hough, Pavel Kolesnikov, Paul Lewis, and Alexei Volodin; violinists Simone Lamsma and Nemanja Radulović; and cellist Edgar Moreau.

Dougie Scarfe OBE DL, Chief Executive of the BSO, said:
“Throughout the year we’ll continue to share music-making that is firmly rooted in the Southwest, from thrilling symphonic music in our many resident venues to the intimacy of the numerous community venues that form a key part of our unique remit.  Day in, day out we see the very real impact our music has on people’s lives in the places we visit — and it’s needed like never before. We’ll continue to deepen our reach into local communities, from the expansion of our creative health and wellbeing work to a new partnership with NHS Dorset.

“We are excited to step into the new era of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra with our brilliant artistic team — welcoming conductors Mark Wigglesworth, Chloé van Soeterstède and Enyi Okpara, who each bring such extraordinary energy and dynamism — and a host of brilliant guest artists, including Alena Baeva, who becomes Artist-in-Residence. Whether you’re joining us in the concert hall, a community hall or online we can’t wait to share our live music with you over the coming months.”

To read the full press release click here. For full whats on listings and tickets click here.