The popular ‘BSO On Your Doorstep’ series visits Bournemouth’s Arts by the Sea Festival, plus new venues in Broadwindsor, Gillingham and Portesham in partnership with Artsreach, Dorset’s rural arts charity.
The series, which takes smaller-scale concerts into rural and community-led venues, ensures more people can access professional live music.
Across autumn, the music also returns to Bridport, Lytchett Matravers, Swanage and Sturminster Newton, with a further performance in Bridport welcoming disabled-led ensemble, BSO Resound.
People throughout Dorset will experience more live music this autumn as smaller ensembles from Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra visit arts venues and community spaces across the county.
Professional musicians from the BSO will play at Bournemouth’s popular Arts by the Sea Festival this September [Sat 26] with a family-friendly programme celebrating the festival’s theme ‘Elemental’.
Several themed concerts celebrating different chapters of music – from ‘West End to Hollywood’ to ‘Serenades and Starbursts’ – display the skill and virtuosity of the BSO’s musicians.
Performances will take place in Bridport Arts Centre [11 Sep, 17 Dec, 12 Feb], The Mowlem, Swanage [11 Sep], Arts by the Sea Festival, Bournemouth [26 Sep], Lytchett Matravers Village Hall [13 Nov], Gillingham Secondary School [12 Nov], Broadwindsor Village Hall [11 Dec], Portesham Church [12 Dec], The Exchange, Sturminster Newton [24 Jan]. More dates across the South West in the New Year are still to be announced.
The performance at Bridport Arts Centre [17 Dec] features performances from BSO Resound – the world’s first disabled-led ensemble as part of a professional orchestra’s core activities – which formed in 2018.
Head of BSO Participate, Lucy Warren, said, “It’s deeply exciting to take our music to Bournemouth’s fantastic Arts by the Sea festival this September, in the heart of the town. Throughout the autumn we’re also presenting a selection of chamber-scale ensemble performances right across Dorset – including performances from disabled -led ensemble BSO Resound. Bringing world-class music into communities is at the core of what we do – and we can’t wait to see you there!”
Based at Lighthouse, Poole, the BSO is resident in Bristol, Exeter, Portsmouth, Southampton and Yeovil, and performs throughout the year in towns and villages across the region. In 2024/25, 77% of events toured beyond the BSO’s base at Lighthouse, Poole. The BSO’s symphonic concert season at Lighthouse, Poole runs from Wednesday 30 September through to spring.
See bsolive.com/whats-on/ for details of all upcoming ‘BSO On Your Doorstep’ events.