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The mission of the BBC Concert Orchestra is to bring inspiring musical experiences to everyone, everywhere, with the ensemble’s versatility as the key. The orchestra can be heard on BBC Radio 2’s Sunday Night Is Music Night and for BBC Radio 3 it explores a wide selection of music, ranging from classical to contemporary. The orchestra has performed on many soundtracks, including Blue Planet and Serengeti for BBC One, as well as recording new music for BBC Sounds’ Music & Meditation podcast and George the Poet’s award-winning, Have You Heard George’s Podcast? In February 2022 it collaborated with over 20 artists, including Ed Sheeran and Michael Bublé, for BBC Radio 2’s Piano Room Month with BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.

The orchestra appears annually at the BBC Proms, at London’s Southbank Centre and at venues across the UK. It performs internationally and s enjoyable and innovative education and community activities, taking a leading role in Create Yarmouth - a three-year residency with Orchestras Live - BBC Ten Pieces, the BBC Young Composer competition and BBC Open Music programme.

The orchestra is currently based in London and Watford. It will relocate to a location outside the M25 bringing live music to underserved areas of England and developing innovative models of engaging audiences with orchestral music. Discussions are ongoing with a possible location and there will be announcements in due course.

The BBC CO aspire to broaden the pool of orchestra talent with openness to its recruitment process so we can build diversity and inclusion at its core for all positions.

The ideal candidate will be a violinist of outstanding quality and musical versatility. As a key member of a small and dynamic section, our chosen candidate will regularly be invited to sit up on the front desks. We therefore seek a player with a thrilling range of sound, colour and technique. You are someone who is excited by the vast range of repertoire we perform, and you are able to contribute fully whatever is required, from the lushest Hollywood scores, to the flexibility of opera, or the precision of studio soundtracks. You will share our commitment in bringing to life whatever music to be on the stand that day, as well as our belief in sharing this music with anyone and everyone.

The BBC CO has a vacancy for a player who must be able to demonstrate the following:

Essential Criteria:

• Excellent professional orchestral playing ability
• Excellent sight reading skills
• Ability to play across a range of musical styles

AUDITION INFORMATION:

1ST ROUND - Candidates will have a choice on how to apply. Either:

Submit a short audio/visual recording of the Round 1 repertoire (see details below). The visual element will be removed for the audition panel to retain candidates' anonymity.

OR

You can perform the excerpts in person at a screened audition mid-February (date to be confirmed) in London.

Should you wish to audition in person, you must still submit your application by the closing date, but without the video upload. However, so we are able to hold an audition slot for you, please email [email protected], Team Assistant so we know that you will play for us in person.

The repertoire for the 1st round is:

Mozart – Concerto No. 3, 4, or 5; 1st Movement Exposition, no cadenza (without accompaniment)

Orchestral Excerpts:

Tchaikovsky – Overture to The Nutcracker; b.134-end (upper line divisi)

Korngold – Overture to The Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex; b.1-17 (play divisi as marked)

Tabakova – Tectonic: b.61-79

Gordon & Warren – At Last; b.1- 4

2ND ROUND - For those candidates who progress to a second round, unscreened auditions will be held mid-March 2023 in London.

The repertoire for the 2nd round is:

Mozart – Concerto No.3, 4, or 5; 1st Movement complete and cadenza (with piano accompaniment)

Romantic or 20th-Century Concerto from the standard repertoire; 1st Movement and cadenza if applicable (with piano accompaniment)

Orchestral Excerpts:

Bernstein – Overture to Candide; b.5-62 & b.216 -end

J. Strauss – Overture to Die Fledermaus; b.1- 191

Vaughan Williams – A Sea Symphony (No.1); 3rd Movement, Scherzo, from Letter J until 7 bars after Letter O

Berlin – Overture to Annie Get Your Gun; b.1 – Letter E

Delius – Florida Suite; 1st Movement, 7th bar of Figure 3 through 1st bar of Figure 4; 6 bars before Figure 9 through 8th bar of Figure 9; 2 bars before Figure 14 through 7th bar of Figure 16.

Higdon – Concerto for Orchestra; 2nd Movement, b.31- 92 (upper line divisi)

Please note, all orchestral excerpts from Round 1 may also be requested in Round 2. Sight-reading will also be provided in Round 2.

For any further information, please contact:

Alice Gatherer – Team Assistant, BBC Concert Orchestra

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 07773 650445

Closing date – Friday 3rd February 2023

APPLICATIONS MUST BE MADE VIA THE MUSICALCHAIRS WEBSITE ONLY

Please click on this link to take you through to the application process: https://www.musicalchairs.info/jobs/41446

We don’t focus simply on what we do – we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are important to us. Please make sure you’ve read about our values and behaviours in the document attached below.

Diversity matters at the BBC. We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, enabling all of our employees to thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to be part of the BBC – whether that’s to contribute to our programming or our wide range of non-production roles. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, social background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles, unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.

To find out more about Diversity and Inclusion at the BBC, please click here

Contract type: Continuing

Location: The orchestra is currently based in London and Watford. It will relocate to a location outside the M25 bringing live music to underserved areas of England and developing innovative models of engaging audiences with orchestral music. Discussions are ongoing with a possible location and there will be announcements in due course.

We offer:

• Excellent career progression – the BBC offers great opportunities for employees to seek new challenges and work in different areas of the organisation.
• Unrivalled training and development opportunities – our in-house Academy hosts a wide range of internal and external courses and certification.
• Benefits - We offer a competitive salary package, a flexible 35-hour working week for work-life balance and 26 days holiday with the option to buy an extra 5 days, a defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care, gym and much more.