Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (GB)

About

Also known as: Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra

One of England's oldest orchestras, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra has been making music since 1893, when it started out as a modest group of 30 wind players on Bournemouth Pier. Over the decades it built a serious reputation for championing British composers, with the likes of Elgar and Holst stepping up to conduct their own works. The BSO also delivered UK premieres of major pieces by Strauss, Saint Saëns and Tchaikovsky, cementing its place well beyond the seaside resort circuit. Based administratively in Poole since 1979 and resident at the Lighthouse venue there, the orchestra now serves the broader South and South West of England, with regular concert series in Portsmouth, Exeter and Bristol. Principal conductors over the years have included Marin Alsop and Kirill Karabits, with Mark Wigglesworth at the helm for the 2024 to 2025 season. On social media the BSO keeps things lively, mixing Tchaikovsky excerpts with playful takes on everything from Star Wars themes to tambourine solos.