Ulster Orchestra ‘nearly did not survive’

Ulster Orchestra ‘nearly did not survive’

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norman lebrecht

December 15, 2016

A retired civil servant, Stephen Peover, has taken over as chairman of the Ulster Orchestra. He has let it be known that the orchestra has been assured of funding for another year, but there is no long-term financial commitment as yet.

His predecessor Sir George Bain told a public meeting that the orchestra ‘nearly did not’ survive the last financial cuts in its funding.

Comments

  • Peter Phillips says:

    There are, so far, eighteen responses to the post about CBSO finances and none to this post about the insecurity of another fine orchestra. I have lived in both Belfast and Birmingham and value both orchestras highly. But I wonder what the significance is that the CBSO should garner 18 comments and the Ulster Orchestra none. Not promising.

    • Halldor says:

      Perhaps to some extent because Ulster’s problems are relatively old news? But also, I fear, because of the uncomfortable truth in the UK that the further an arts organisation is from the capital, the less media attention it receives. It sometimes feels that if the UO was disbanded tomorrow, it’d elicit less reaction from most UK classical music journalists than a single chorus member going part-time at one of the London opera houses. (A critic on a major national paper was assuring friends of mine the other day, with great authority, that Mirga Graziynte-Tyla has “only done 3 concerts” in the UK).

      Out of sight – out of mind. Requires a short-haul flight to get there? Forget about it.

  • Ben says:

    They also have a very exciting young conductor who is doing wonders!

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