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Based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the Ulster Orchestra was formed in 1966 and has established itself as one of the major symphony orchestras in the United Kingdom. In addition to the main concert season which runs from October to May each year, the Orchestra's varied home-based activities include participation in the Belfast Festival at Queen's and the Belfast Proms, accompaniment to opera productions, educational work and concerts throughout Northern Ireland. |
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The Ulster Orchestra has made over fifty commercial recordings, several of which have received prestigious British awards. The Orchestra has on-going recording contracts and has recently released five CDs, 'Behind the Closed Eye', a joint venture with the Irish group Anuna, a recording of Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture and Symphonies No. 3 & 4 with BMG/Conifer/ClassicFM and three recordings with Naxos featuring contemporary composers Michael Nyman, James McMillan and John Tavener. In addition, the Orchestra records 12 weeks of output for the BBC each year for broadcast on Radio 3 and Radio Ulster. The Orchestra also records about three television performances per season and in March 1998 accompanied the finalists in the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition.
Tours of Europe, Asia and America have added to the growing international reputation of the Orchestra. In May 1998, the Orchestra toured Spain for the first time and included in the schedule were two performances at the Auditorio Nacional in the capital city of Madrid. In February/March 1999 the Orchestra performed in Stuttgart, Munich and in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. The Orchestra can look forward to another tour of the Far East after its recent ten-day residency in Hong Kong's Cultural Centre resulted in an immediate re-invitation. The Orchestra also enjoys regular appearances at the BBC Henry Woods Promenade concerts at the Royal Albert Hall.
High profile events such as performing with Luciano Pavarotti at Stormont in September 1999 and in front of President and Mrs Clinton, during the Presidential visit to Northern Ireland in 1995, and the broadcast on network television of the Orchestra's performances at the official opening of the Waterfront Hall in Belfast in 1997, in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales, and featuring Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, have contributed to the Orchestra's reputation for excellence.
