Orchestra of the Swan

Orchestra of the Swan is an English professional chamber orchestra based in Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.

Orchestra of the Swan is also Associate Orchestra at Town Hall Birmingham with other residencies at Number 8 Pershore, Huntingdon Hall Worcester and Malvern Theatres; it performs regularly in London, Coventry, Bedworth, Loughborough, Warwick, Exeter, Keswickand Lichfield.

It was founded in 1995 to perform at the Stratford Music Festival. The orchestra gives over 40 concerts annually and is increasing its overseas touring. In 2014 the orchestra undertook its first highly successful tour to China. In 2016 OOTS performed in the Istanbul International Festival and in 2017-18 tours are planned to Mexico and New York (Carnegie Hall). OOTS has also toured the UK with groups such as Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel and James, with sell-out performances at London’s Albert Hall.

Recordings have been Gramophone Choice, CD of the Week on Classic Fm (UK) and Washington Public Radio and live concert recordings are frequently broadcast on USA Performance Today, in Canada and Australia.

The orchestra’s extensive discography includes repertoire by Barber, Bax, Berlioz, Brahms, Copland, Debussy, Elgar, Finzi, Ireland, Mahler, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Schumann, Strauss, Vaughan Williams and the world premiere recording of the complete symphonies by Hans Gál (1890-1987). The latter received outstanding critical acclaim and was featured on BBC Radio 3 ‘Composer of the Week’. Most recently Mendelssohn’s D minor Violin Concerto with Tamsin Waley-Cohen was BBC Music Magazine’s ‘Recommended Recording’.

OOTS is a major champion of new music and has premiered over 70 new works by established composers and emerging talent including Joe Cutler, Tansy Davies, Joe Duddell, Alexander Goehr, John Joubert, Roxanna Panufnik, Paul Patterson, Joseph Phibbs, Julian Philips, Dobrinka Tabakova, Errollyn Wallen, John Woolrich and many others.

Recordings of new work include Philip Sawyers Symphonies, works for trumpet and orchestra by John McCabe, Robert Saxton and Deborah Pritchard and joint commissions with Kyo-Shin-An Arts of new work for koto, shakuhachi and chamber orchestra. Wikipedia