London Chamber Orchestra
Short nameLCO
Founded1921
Concert hallCadogan Hall
Principal conductorChristopher Warren-Green
Websitewww.lco.co.uk

The London Chamber Orchestra (LCO) is a professional chamber orchestra based in London in the United Kingdom. The name has also been used by historical ensembles dating back to 1921.[1] LCO performs at small concert halls across London[2][3] and has previously toured Asia,[4] the UK, Europe and the United States.

History

The name London Chamber Orchestra was first used in 1921 by the English conductor, organist, pianist and composer Anthony Bernard in December 1921.[5][6] He conducted the first LCO performance, in the salon of No. 4 St James's Square on 11 May 1921[7][8] although the in-depth history of the orchestra shows the same players performing together as early as 1920 but not under the LCO sobriquet.[9] Anthony Bernard continued to manage the LCO through the second world war suffering devastating setback when his home was bombed and almost all of his manuscripts and scores were burnt[10] He died on 6th April 1963 aged 72. The title of LCO passed to his wife Mary Bernard on his death. By 1985 Mary Bernard agreed to Perry Montague-Mason’s appointment of Christopher Warren Green as manager.[11] Christopher Warren-Green is the principal conductor of the LCO in 2023.[12]

Royal connection

LCO's patron is Queen Camilla.[13] The London Chamber Orchestra performed at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011.[14] The special programme of music was conducted by Christopher Warren-Green. Music played at the royal wedding was recorded and released digitally by Decca Records on 5 May 2011.[15]

'Longest established' claim

LCO often describes itself as the UK's 'longest established' or 'longest standing' chamber orchestra,[16] however fellow London orchestra, the London Mozart Players, make a similar claim.[17][18][19]

Performances and education work

The LCO has given more than 100 UK premieres, including works by Malcolm Arnold, Manuel de Falla, Gabriel Fauré, Leoš Janáček, Maurice Ravel, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Igor Stravinsky, and, most recently, Graham Fitkin and James Francis Brown. In 2006 the LCO premiered Sir Peter Maxwell Davies's The Golden Rule, written to mark Queen Elizabeth's 80th birthday.[20]

The orchestra also runs an education and outreach programme called Music Junction.[21][22]

Direction

The London Chamber Orchestra's principal conductor, Christopher Warren-Green, has held the position of music director since 1988.[23] The president of the orchestra is Vladimir Ashkenazy and Rosemary Warren-Green is education and outreach artistic director.[24]

Discography

The LCO has been recorded by Virgin Records and BMG and has been broadcast by BBC Radio 3 and ITV.

References

  1. ↑ Honeyman, John (1998). Sing Low My Sweet Chariot, Memories of a Musical Foot-Soldier.
  2. ↑ Prince of Wales
  3. ↑ "Royal wedding music includes choirs, fanfare" by Gregory Katz, The Washington Times, 15 March 2011
  4. ↑ "Jinsang Lee". Time Out Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 2011-10-04. Retrieved 2011-04-20.
  5. ↑ CNW Archived 2012-08-02 at archive.today
  6. ↑ ITV News Archived 2011-04-19 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ MSN
  8. ↑ Junge, Ewald (1992). Anthony Bernard : A Life in Music. Tunbridge Wells: Spellmount. ISBN 0946771154. OCLC 29225203.
  9. ↑ Duchen, Jessica (October 6, 2022). London Chamber Orchestra : 101 Years of Transformation. p. 27. ISBN 978-1399917827.
  10. ↑ Duchen, Jessica (October 6, 2022). London Chamber Orchestra : 101 Years of Transformation. pp. 59–60. ISBN 978-1399917827.
  11. ↑ Duchen, Jessica (October 6, 2022). London Chamber Orchestra : 101 Years of Transformation. p. 88. ISBN 978-1399917827.
  12. ↑ "Who we are - LCO mission and team". London Chamber Orchestra. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  13. ↑ Hyland, Rose (2016-02-23). "The Duchess of Cornwall". The Royal Family. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  14. ↑ AFP
  15. ↑ "Royal Wedding album to be released on cassette". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2011-04-09.
  16. ↑ "About – London Chamber Orchestra – Discover more about LCO". London Chamber Orchestra. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
  17. ↑ "70 Years of the London Mozart Players – In Pictures". The Journal of Music. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
  18. ↑ "London Mozart Players launch 'At Home with LMP' web page". The Strad. 2020-03-23. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
  19. ↑ Honeyman 1998, pp. 145–147.
  20. ↑ Times Online
  21. ↑ "London Chamber Orchestra". British Council Music. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  22. ↑ "Duchess of Cornwall attends LCO Music Junction rehearsal". rhinegold.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  23. ↑ London Chamber Orchestra Archived 2012-12-15 at the Wayback Machine
  24. ↑ Bach-Cantatas
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