Thanks to everyone who joined us for our Centenary Gala in April, marking 100 years of Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra and bringing our 24/25 Season to a magnificent close.
Joanna MacGregor conducted Messiaen’s mighty Turangalîla Symphony ‘with considerable fire and brilliance’ (The Guardian), with captivating performances from soloists Cynthia Millar and Joseph Havlat.
We also launched our Centenary Book: a beautifully designed hardback filled with over 120 pages of archive gems, biographies and behind-the-scenes stories from a century of music-making in Brighton.
A heartfelt thank you to our fabulous players for their hard work this season, and to all our audiences for helping make this such a memorable season finale.
Our 25/26 season will be revealed at our Season Launch Party on Wed 2 Jul, 6.30pm.
Become a member for just £30 to join us!
A word from Music Director Joanna MacGregor…
It has been an enormous privilege to celebrate 100 years of Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra.
In its early years the society was an avid promoter of classical music: by 1947 it was running orchestral concerts in Brighton, Hastings, Portsmouth and Folkstone. Today, BPO continues to promote large-scale orchestral concerts at the Dome, as well as chamber and collaborative projects across Sussex and beyond. This season we gave our first performances at Kings Place London and Brighton Beach House, and our popular Christmas Carol – directed annually by Richard Williams – sold out St George’s in Kemptown.
Over the years there has been an extraordinary parade of names – Artur Schnabel, Rachmaninoff, Rubinstein and Yehudi Menuhin. Some, like Myra Hess, returned many times; she became the orchestra’s first Honorary President in 1944, around the time of the mythical wartime National Gallery concerts. The society has kept all the programmes, many signed by the artists, which our Treasurer has lovingly digitised for our Centenary Book. It includes a detailed – often gripping – timeline, biographies of orchestral leaders and Music Directors, pieces by previous chairmen, and gorgeous (and often touching) posters, press cuttings and programmes: vintage images of years gone by.
BPO always had an eye for young stars on the way up, including Simon Rattle, Nigel Kennedy and the legendary percussionist Evelyn Glennie, who returned this season to a packed concert hall. We continue to platform gifted young artists; this season we welcomed Jess Gillam and Aidan Mikdad, mentored by Alfred Brendel.
Our colourful centenary season has brought fresh faces to the Dome; ticket sales rose by 20% this season, and over 20% of all bookers were first-timers to the venue. Music spanning Stravinsky, Duke Ellington and Bernard Herrmann – and artists like Jess Gillam and Gwilym Simcock – has drawn enthusiastic, multi-generational listeners. Friends and Patrons, some loyal for 50 years, are excited to see young people, sensing a new love for their orchestra. They know we honour the past – but our eyes are on the future.
Today’s musicians carry the DNA of players who, in 1925, had one day off and wanted to come to the seaside. They come from the Philharmonia, BBC Symphony and Royal Opera House orchestras, the Oxford Philharmonic, London Mozart Players and Irish Chamber Orchestra. They are dedicated and damn brilliant. They have often been led by women – Kate Menges, Molly Paley, our own terrific leader Ruth Rogers. BPO musicians are energised and passionate about the orchestra, whether they’ve been part of it for 40 years or six months.
We don’t pigeonhole anybody; our only assumption is that audiences and players, of all ages and backgrounds, are engaged, lively, curious – and want a good time. Our aim always is to build and preserve BPO for future generations, creating bold, vibrant programming for the 21st century.
Praise for the Centenary Gala
‘MacGregor and the BPO captured the work’s emotional immediacy, hypnotic force and sense of almost tangible physicality to compelling effect…Heady stuff, beautifully done.’
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Tim Ashley, The Guardian
‘this was a triumph of ambition and commitment, and MacGregor, Millar, Havlat and all the BPO players deserve high praise for pulling off this vast endeavour to end their centenary season.’
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Nick Boston, BachTrack
‘The BPO is entering its second century with great optimism, a devoted audience and a vibrant, youthful orchestra thriving under its dynamic Music Director. The Centenary Season has been a great success. We can expect the 2026 season to be just as diverse and spectacular.’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Andrew Connal, The Latest
Our 2025/26 concerts go on sale on Thu 2 Jul.
Become a member for priority booking, an invitation to our Season Launch Party, and other year-round benefits.