Welcome to the Bath Philharmonia

Bath Phil is one of the leading professional orchestras in the South-West. Its players are some of the finest and most experienced orchestral musicians in Britain. After the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Bath Phil is the largest professional organisation of its type in the region. Annually, the orchestra gives 25 to 30 performances, with a roster of international soloists at a range of prestigious venues. Bath Phil’s artistic team is led by Music Director Jason Thornton with Principal Guest Conductor Peter Donohoe and Associate Conductor Gavin Carr.

Primarily serving Bath & North East Somerset, Bath Phil presents a year-round programme of orchestral music, a highly active education and community portfolio and takes part in many collaborations with other arts organisations including Bath Festivals Trust, Bath Mozartfest, Bath Theatre Royal & Bath Spa University where the orchestra is Ensemble in Residence. Bath Phil embraces a regional remit touring to an eclectic range of venues and festivals throughout the south-west including Hall for Cornwall Truro, Roseland Festival, Seaton Music Society, Beaminster Festival, Colston Hall Bristol, Frome Festival, Fishguard Festival, Malmesbury Abbey and Cheltenham Town Hall.

Bath Phil’s performances with international soloists have included, Nicola Benedetti, Carlos Bonnell, Michael Collins, Sarah Connolly, Natalie Clein, Peter Donohoe, Tim Hugh, Sumi Jo, Tasmin Little, Joanna Macgregor, Ruth Palmer, Jennifer Pike, Sir Willard White, the young artists from the Jette Parker Programme at the Royal Opera House and the jazz singer Clare Teal.

Bath Phil’s recent performances have included a unique collaboration with British Brass Band Open Championship Winners 2008 – Foden’s, in a performance of Janacek’s Sinfonietta, and during the Christmas period 2008 Bath Phil, with composer Howard Blake, toured a double bill of The Bear & The Snowman to Hall for Cornwall Truro, The Octagon Yeovil and Colston Hall Bristol. Forthcoming performances include Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire with Peter Donohoe and mezzo Loré Lixenberg, a Christmas performance “Reflections on Messiah” and in April 2010, a concert including Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate to mark the 200th anniversary of the death of Rauzzini and featuring a male soprano. Their third Summer Classics Series in 2009 saw audience numbers grow by 25% over past years and planning for the 2010 series has begun for four summer-time concerts, each featuring a world-renowned soloist.

Bath Phil is committed to education & community work. Its busy portfolio is extensive and includes projects at the Liszt Ferenc Music School, Kaposvar Hungary, Three Ways Special School, Bath, Critchill Special Needs School Frome, Frome College, Colyton Grammar School Devon, Roseland Community School and Veryan, St Mawes and Tregony Primary’s Cornwall. Musicians from Bath Phil have also worked in residential Care Homes and Mencap Homes in Cornwall. Notable projects include the delivery of the Bath Mozartfest’s first education work in November 2008 and in October 2009, Jason Thornton, principal Cor Anglais player, Julie Payne and pianist David Quigley undertake a week-long project to “Create a Concerto” with students from Chew Valley and Backwell schools. Plans are being developed to bring music-making experience to Young Carers in the BANES and Wiltshire areas culminating in a performance in Bath Abbey in Summer 2010.

Bath Phil’s Chairman is Professor Rod Morgan and the orchestra is managed by a dedicated team of arts professionals from its office in Bridge Street, Bath. Bath Phil receives no public money but is thriving thanks to the generous support of growing corporate investment and individual giving.