Aurora Orchestra joins resident orchestras at London's Southbank Centre
Florence Lockheart
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
The addition of both Aurora Orchestra and Chineke! Orchestra marks the first change in the centre’s resident orchestras roster since 1992.
Aurora Orchestra has announced that it will join London's Southbank Centre’s roster of resident orchestras from September 2022, the first change to the centre’s roster in the three decades since it was established.
Aurora has been an associate orchestra at the Southbank Centre since 2016. This new position will expand its contribution to deliver a year-round programme of performing, educational and digital activity.
Aurora creative director, Jane Mitchell said: ‘Many of Aurora’s happiest artistic memories have been forged at Southbank Centre, and we’re thrilled to be able to expand and deepen the relationship. As Resident Orchestra we look forward to offering the richest, most vibrant experience of orchestral music to the broadest possible audience, both in and beyond the concert hall.’
Along with Chineke! Orchestra, Europe’s first majority Black and ethnically diverse orchestra, Aurora Orchestra will join the centres’ existing resident orchestras the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and London Sinfonietta.
In recent years, the orchestra has pioneered the performance of whole symphonies from memory, with no sheet music. The orchestra will use this technique, as well as its characteristic orchestral theatre staging, in its first appearance as resident orchestra on 27 September.
Principal conductor Nicholas Collon will lead the performance, he said: ‘no other venue in the world boasts such an extraordinary array of varied orchestral talent, and we are excited about supporting the bold ambitions which the venue has for the future, from radical audience development initiatives to helping transform the UK’s music education landscape.’
Founded in 2005, the orchestra has received major awards including two RPS Awards, an ECHO Klassik Award and a Classical:NEXT Innovation Award. As well as it’s ongoing partnership with Kings Place as resident ensemble, Aurora also presents residencies at St George’s Bristol, The Apex and Canterbury’s Colyer-Fergusson Hall.
You can find out more about Aurora Orchestra here.
