CBSO History

1834

Opening of Birmingham Town Hall.

1920

City of Birmingham Orchestra founded by a group of public-spirited citizens, led by Neville Chamberlain, and becomes the first symphony orchestra to be funded by a local authority - to the tune of £1,250.

Edward Elgar conducts first CBO concert in Birmingham Town Hall.

Appleby Matthews appointed first conductor of the CBO.

1924

Adrian Boult appointed Director and Conductor, at an annual salary of £800.

1930

Boult becomes the first conductor of the new BBC Symphony Orchestra. His pupil Leslie Heward replaces him at the CBO, at the age of 32.

1932

Harold Gray appointed CBO Associate Conductor - a post he was to hold for nearly 50 years.

1934

In a year that sees the deaths of Elgar, Holst and Delius, Heward is engaged by the BBC to conduct its Midland Orchestra; most of the musicians also continue to play with the CBO.

1943

Heward dies, following a protracted battle with TB.

1944

George Weldon appointed Musical Director and Conductor at an annual salary of £2000.

Introduction of a full-time contract for musicians.

First full-time 'roadie' appointed to help cope with the extra traveling.

1948

CBO renamed City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

February sees the first CBSO concert in Royal Albert Hall, London.

1951

Weldon sacked and Rudolf Schwarz appointed in his place.

1957

Andrzej Panufnik appointed CBSO Conductor.

1960

Hugo Rignold to succeed Panufnik following his shock resignation.

1962

First performances of Britten's War Requiem in Coventry Cathedral.

1964

HRH the Duke of Edinburgh opens Birmingham's new Bull Ring shopping complex.

1966

Rignold and the CBSO make first long-playing disc, for the Lyrita label: Bliss's Music for Strings and Meditations on a Theme by John Blow.

1968

CBSO undertakes third and most ambitious tour to date: behind the Iron Curtain - East Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia.

1969

The young Frenchman, Louis Frémaux, is appointed CBSO Principal Conductor.

1970

Frémaux and the CBSO make the first of many fine recordings for EMI.

1974

CBSO Chorus is founded.

1975

CBSO Society Ltd is established - a non-profit-distributing Limited Company.

1978

In a dispute with the players, Louis Frémaux and General Manager Arthur Baker both resign.

1979

Harold Gray OBE retires, after a 50-year association with the CBSO.

Swiss conductor Erich Schmid, who had taken over a Beethoven Festival on Fremaux's resignation, scoring a personal triumph, is appointed Principal Guest Conductor.

1980

25-year old Simon Rattle appointed Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser.

1981

Neeme Järvi appointed Principal Guest Conductor for three years.

1985

Okko Kamu appointed Principal Guest Conductor for three years.

Iona Brown takes up newly created post of Guest Director for three years.

Opening of Adrian Boult Hall as part of Birmingham Conservatoire.

CBSO Administration moves to offices adjoining the new hall.

1987

Launch of Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, started by CBSO cellists Simon Clugston and Ulrich Heinen.

1988

CBSO embarks on 15-concert coast to coast tour of the USA.

Leader Felix Kok retires after 23 years; Peter Thomas appointed.

CBSO wins Gramophone Record of the Year for its recording of Mahler's Symphony No. 2 ('Resurrection').

1990

Simon Rattle redesignated Music Director.

British composer Mark-Anthony Turnage appointed to newly created position of Radcliffe Composer in Association.

1991

Symphony Hall opens in April.

HRH The Earl of Wessex CVO becomes Patron of the Orchestra.

1992

Mark Elder CBE appointed Principal Guest Conductor.

1994

Simon Rattle receives a knighthood from HM the Queen in the Birthday Honours List.

1995

CBSO appoints Judith Weir as Fairbairn Composer in Association.

Judith Weir awarded a CBE.

CBSO celebrates 75-year anniversary with the publication of 'Crescendo! 75 years of the CBSO' by Beresford King-Smith.

Finnish conductor Sakari Oramo makes debut with the Orchestra.

1996

Estonian-born conductor Paavo Järvi appointed Principal Guest Conductor.

1998

Sakari Oramo succeeds Sir Simon Rattle as Principal Conductor.

The Orchestra move to CBSO Centre, which becomes their rehearsal and administrative home.

1999

Sakari Oramo appointed CBSO Music Director, an appointment that is announced on the day of his BBC Proms debut, broadcast live on BBC TV.

2000

The City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus gives concerts in Vancouver and at the Olympic Arts Festival in Sydney.

Julian Anderson appointed Composer-in-Association from January 2001.

2001

The CBSO wins the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Best Concert Series for Towards the Millennium in 2000.

The new organ in Symphony Hall is inaugurated with a Gala weekend of concerts by the CBSO and Choruses, much of which is broadcast on BBC Radio 2.

2002

The CBSO wins the 2002 Gramophone Record of the Year Award for its recordings of Saint-Saëns Piano Concertos, conducted by Sakari Oramo with Stephen Hough as soloist.

The CBSO, CBSYC Juniors and CBYV perform for Her Majesty The Queen at Symphony Hall, as part of her Jubilee visit to Birmingham.

2003

The CBSO launches new-look website - one of the first fully-accessible arts websites in the UK. 

Floof!, the CBSO's mini-festival dedicated to contemporary music, takes place at Symphony Hall and CBSO Centre.

Leader of the Orchestra, Peter Thomas, announces his resignation.

2004

The CBSO Youth Orchestra is formed by a coming-together of the CBSO and the long-established Midland Youth Orchestra.

Sakari Oramo receives honorary degrees from the University of Birmingham and the University of Central England.

The CBSO sign the Government's Music Manifesto, which aims to improve access to music for young people.

2005

Michael Seal, a second violinist with the CBSO, is appointed as the Orchestra's first Assistant Conductor. 

IgorFest begins, with the CBSO joining forces with Birmingham's other world-renowned arts organisations to perform the complete works of Igor Stravinsky over the next three years.

2006

The CBSO announces a twinning relationship with the orchestras of Frankfurt and Lyon, two of Birmingham’s sister cities.

The CBSO Youth Orchestra makes its Symphony Hall debut.

Sakari Oramo announces he will be standing down as Music Director at the end of the 2007/8 season.

2007

The CBSO and Sakari Oramo release a 150th Elgar Anniversary CD featuring The Dream of Gerontius, Enigma Variations and the world premiere recording of The Holly and The Ivy.

The CBSO Youth Orchestra Academy is founded.

2008

Andris Nelsons opens the CBSO's 2008/09 Season as Music Director
Click here to read the reviews so far.

In partnership with Barclays Wealth the CBSO launch a new choir for boys in years 7-11.

Simon Halsey celebrates 25 years Chorus Director to the CBSO with a performance of Holst's Savitri, and Vaughan Williams'  A Sea Symphony at Symphony Hall.