BBC National Orchestra of Wales 2012 China Tour Orchestra-in-Residence at St David’s Hall, Cardiff, tours China with Principal Conductor Thierry Fischer

Introduction
BBC National Orchestra of Wales occupies a special role as both a national and broadcasting orchestra, acclaimed not only for the quality of its performances but also for its importance within its own community.

The orchestra has won considerable critical and audience acclaim over recent years, under its formidable conducting team of Principal Conductor Thierry Fischer, Principal Guest Conductor Jac van Steen, Associate Guest Conductor François-Xavier Roth and Conductor Laureate Tadaaki Otaka.

Programme
Saturday 7 July 2012, 7.30pm

Bernstein Overture, Candide
Fauré Pavane
Stravinsky The Firebird: Infernal Dance, Berceuse, Finale
Prokofiev Symphony No 1, Classical
Mozart Horn Concerto No 4 (3rd movement)
Debussy Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
Ravel Bolero

Conductor Thierry Fischer
Horn Tim Thorpe

Sunday 8 July 2012, 7.30pm

Strauss, J Overture, Die Fledermaus
Mozart Clarinet Concerto
Chen, Qigang Wu Xing (The Five Elements)
Mussorgsky (orch. Ravel) Pictures at an Exhibition

Conductor Thierry Fischer
Clarinet Robert Plane

About BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Apart from its concert series at St David’s Hall, Cardiff, and Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, the orchestra also tours internationally. At home, it is in demand at major UK festivals and performs every year at the BBC Proms and biennially at the prestigious BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. Education and community outreach is integral to the orchestra’s musical life and the department have been challenging conventions for nearly fifteen years, extending the work of the orchestra into schools, workplaces and communities.

The orchestra is based at its state-of-the-art recording and rehearsal base, BBC Hoddinott Hall at Wales Millennium Centre. It enjoys close working relationships with radio and television programme-makers and records numerous soundtracks, including BBC Wales’s Doctor Who and Torchwood and the BBC’s Human Planet series. The orchestra continues to record highly regarded CDs, including the 2011 Grammy-nominated Ivanhoe by Arthur Sullivan on Chandos and David Matthews’ Symphonies 2 and 6, recorded on Dutton Epoch, which won Premiere Recording BBC Music Magazine Award 2011.

In September 2012, Thomas Søndergård will succeed Thierry Fischer as Principal Conductor. As well as an outstanding ability to refresh core repertoire, the orchestra is proud of its adventurous programming and continuously demonstrates artistic excellence in new or rarely performed works. This June, Mark Bowden took up the role of Resident Composer, alongside Composer in Association Simon Holt, consolidating the ensemble’s commitment to performing contemporary music.

BBC National Orchestra of Wales' website
www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/bbcnow/