Soloists of the Philharmonia Orchestra
Acknowledged as the UK’s foremost musical pioneer, with an extraordinary recording legacy, the Philharmonia Orchestra leads the field for its quality of playing, and for its innovative approach to audience development, residencies, music education and the use of new technologies in reaching a global audience. Together with its relationships with the world’s most sought-after artists, most importantly its Principal Conductor Christoph von Dohnányi, the Philharmonia Orchestra is at the heart of British musical life.
Widely recognised to be one of the world’s greatest orchestras, the Philharmonia’s unparalleled international reputation continues to attract the cream of Europe’s talented players to its ranks from which the Soloists of the Philharmonia Orchestra are derived. This pool of distinguished principal musicians allows flexibility for the ensemble to be anything from an intimate string trio or wind quintet to more expansive chamber forces resulting in a dynamic and versatile group who have performed together in many concerts at prestigious chamber music venues and festivals.
The Philharmonia Orchestra is dedicated to taking the same high quality music to venues across the UK as it performs in London and the great concert halls of the world, and this year the Soloists of the Philharmonia Orchestra further this commitment by branching out to venues all over the country. Their concerts cover a wide spectrum of chamber repertoire and attract a host of renowned guest artists to bring a unique and exciting new perspective of the Orchestra’s musicians to audiences within the residencies and beyond.
Having played in prominent venues such as London’s Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room, and St George’s Bristol, in 2007/08 the Soloists are performing at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, London, and St David’s Hall, Cardiff, as well as venturing to venues slightly more off the beaten track as part of the Philharmonia’s residencies in Leicestershire and Bedfordshire. Having played a prominent role in the Philharmonia’s Elgar 2007 series, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth, with a tour of five different chamber performances of Elgar’s Piano Quintet, in 2007/08 the Soloists are performing as part of the Philharmonia’s Vaughan Williams celebrations, as well as taking part in the 2008 Three Choirs Festival, in Worcester. The Soloists will also be touring Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time to venues in Basingstoke and Southend as part of the Philharmonia’s centenary celebrations of Olivier Messiaen.
