Bill Chandler, formerly a violinist in the Houston Symphony and deputy leader of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, is the new director of the BBC Concert Orchestra.
The orchestra is being moved out of London to roam ‘underserved ‘ parts of the country in search of audiences.
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He’s going to need every drop of his diplomatic experiences to steer this wonderful band through what will be troubled times ahead. Ridiculous to move any London based band anywhere during these troubled times and before we know the economic fallout of the pandemic.
Typical W1A mentality from the Beeb, who have already snubbed this precious band by allowing their live music flagship show Friday Night is Music Night which was the BBCCO’s airtime, to be axed without reason or discussion with players, producers or their loyal audiences.
Such crass demise is the loss to the world of light and popular music and the Beeb should be ashamed and held accountable for selling the show’s history and content after 70 years on the airwaves.
Let’s all hope for the sake of the loyal and dedicated musicians who make up this versatile band that moving them to God know’s where isn’t also part of the master plan leading to their similar demise all together despite their popular showbiz Prom last Saturday on Radio3 and to be aired on BBC TV this Saturday
Not very coherent. Moving out of London is a “W1A mentality”?
And “God know’s where” sounds just plain rude.
Yes, moving out of London is a W1A mentality of the first order when the Beeb have not considered the monumental disruption to the loyal dedicated players and BBCCO management lives, many of whom will need to re-locate the whole of their immediate family in order to continue to work (or dangerously consider commuting).
To announce such a dramatic change and locate them all without telling them ‘where’, is first class crass W1A mentality and could be straight out of one of their scripts and scenarios.
‘God know’s where’, isn’t rude – it’s a fact.
The players still, 4 months since learning of their relocation, don’t know which city or region is going to benefit from having their dedicated skills and musicianship in their community.
Disgraceful and disrespectful might be a far more appropriate description than rude.
“God know’s where” is also grammatically incorrect, which doesn’t exactly help your argument. You wanted to say “God knows where” (no apostrophe).
Stop being so snotty! You know as well as me that PCs, tablets etc sometimes have a mind of their own and surreptitiously ‘correct’ your work.
You don’t always notice till it’s too late.
The rest of the post shows no evidence of habitual mistakes.
Leicester or Nottingham apparently.
The BBC discussing something with it’s players??!
That’ll be the bloody day.
Players are mere minions in the eyes of ambitious pointy headed suits.
At least he’s a player, who understands musicians, rather than a suit, who never does.
Believe me, I know a few ex players who donned suits and swiftly exposed on which side their bread was buttered, but I hope you’re right in this instance.
I guess you could call this “Orpheus in the Underworld”
Apologies. Should read:
Orpheus and the Underserved
“The orchestra is being moved out of London to roam ‘underserved ‘ parts of the country in search of audiences.”
Sounds like a sensible idea. However, I suspect they will choose the lazy option of Manchester. Leeds would be a better option, IMO. (And yes, I do know about Opera North.)
One thought though – are the musicians full time or are they borrowed from somewhere else. If so, how will that work?
To suggest that the BBCCO isn’t full time or need to borrow players from any new region they may end up relocating to, clearly demonstrates you don’t really know what you are talking about Mr Allen. May I humbly suggest you research your facts before you continue on this forum and particular very sensitive matter of relocation?
PS Manchester or Leeds will not be a better option in any case and completely misses the issue here, unless of course you’re thinking of offering your services as a local dep?
Allen, not a very good idea at all. The BBC concert orchestra is made of full time members who have houses in London. Lives in London.
They are a great versatile orchestra. And uprooting them like that is absolutely atrocious.
Very unfair.
Leave them in London and their kids settled at school and their spouses or partners with equally vital jobs too and send them more out more on tour. The BBC should have learnt their lesson with putting BBC TV into Salford, and the problems that brought.
Bristol would be a much better place. Leeds is full of top class music and visiting orchestras – I live there! Manchester has even more with the BBC alrdyntheee with the Phil and the Halle, who tour, and only 50 minutes away with four trains an hour . I go over there regularly by train. ‘The North’ as southerners tend to call it, has never been a cultural desert and transport links – why I moved there. It is areas like Bristol, and a very established university city that has next to nothing there in comparison. Same with Lincoln.
There was the BBC Training Orchestra many moons ago in Bristol, thirty years ago? But of course they disbanded it.
Bill is an amazingly talented musician and person from and equally amazing and talented family. Instant credibility in this role with the musicians I am sure. Let’s wish him the best!!
That’s reassuring to learn from someone who knows this Manager personally, but it’s not his musicianship or talent that is required in this essential role of negotiation on behalf of the concerned and disgruntled players who are being forced to relocate to ‘God know’s where’ and uproot their lives without any concern or consideration by the hapless and insensitive BBC Management.
He may well be all that you say, but will being an amazingly talented musician’ be enough to give his ‘instant credibility’ when he needs to fight for the non musical needs of his team.
The BBCCO need answers to their concerns about relocation now, staggeringly over 4 months since the Beeb announced their decision without answering the crucial question of location.
How their new Manager goes about enlightening and reassuring them will be this testing point and he will earn his credibility accordingly with the players who will judge him in his managerial skills and not simply because he is an ex rank and file fiddler.
Has anyone considered the reasons why the previous Manager has departed and a new one has suddenly been appointed?
Maybe to bring in an Innocent Abroad? Who can’t entirely be blamed for a W1A decision?
If they are meant to “roam” underserved places, of which I am sure there are many (though Leeds and Manchester are NOT among them), why don’t they just tour from London?
…..any good negotiation begins with trust….I’ve been on both sides of the music stand in this regard. Credibility of a manager with the musicians is not a bad starting point..
I should think Bristol would be an excellent choice also for the players with families should find somewhere like Bristol a much more appealing place to live and work than London which is overcrowded, expensive, polluted, full of crime and has far too many orchestras already.
As stated above, BBC Training Orchestra in Bristol but disbanded. Usual tick box exercise. More suits. Less arts. And the magnificent BBC Big Band was axed. Remind me why we pay a licence fee?
I have just moved from one flat to another. I have booked into a hotel for a few days to recover! The prospect of moving cities is not one I would contemplate lightly, and I have no children to consider.
Yet another crazy story centering around actions by our gloriously Broken Broadcasting Corporation. They have no shame and I don’t see why anyone should continue to pay the Licence fee for this shambolic outfit. One only has to look back over the years to reveal the amount of BBC ensembles to have faced the axe for no good reason at the time apart from financial cost cutting. The BBC Concert Orchestra is surely the most versatile orchestra of all Beeb bands and this action seems utterly stupid and reckless. Auntie should be utterly ashamed of herself and remains on the naughty step. Good luck, Mr. Chandler. You’ll need it.