{"id":25851,"date":"2023-03-24T10:57:20","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T09:57:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/?p=182226"},"modified":"2023-03-24T11:33:46","modified_gmt":"2023-03-24T10:33:46","slug":"bbc-singers-closure-decision-to-be-suspended","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/bbc-singers-closure-decision-to-be-suspended\/","title":{"rendered":"BBC Singers: closure decision to be suspended"},"content":{"rendered":"

The BBC is looking at alternative funding solutions for the much-loved choir, and has confirmed that the Singers will perform at the 2023 BBC Proms <\/p>

By Steve Wright\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 24 March 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Following widespread criticism of its decision to disband the BBC Singers<\/a>, <\/b>the BBC has now suspended the decision to close its in-house chamber choir. The Corporation has revealed that it has received a number of alternative funding suggestions for the much-loved choir, and that it will now explore these possible solutions.<\/p>\n

\u2018We have agreed with the Musicians\u2019 Union that we will suspend the proposal to close the BBC Singers, while we actively explore these options,\u2019 confirms George Chambers, the BBC\u2019s head of communications (classical music). \u2018If viable, these alternative options would secure the future of the ensemble.<\/p>\n

\u2018We can also confirm the Singers will appear in this year\u2019s BBC Proms<\/strong><\/a>.\u2019<\/p>\n\n<p>The original decision to close the BBC Singers (which is due to celebrate its centenary in 2024) was made in the light of the Corporation\u2019s <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/bbc-singers-to-be-disbanded-following-bbc-classical-review\/"\"><strong>2023 Classical Review<\/strong><\/a>. This new strategy for classical music aims \u2018to strengthen the BBC\u2019s public purpose for classical music, delivering the best music to a wider audience, with a significant new investment in music education\u2019.<\/p>\n<ul><li><strong><a class=\""standard-card-new__article-title\" qa-card-link=\"\" href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/simon-webb-the-bbcs-head-of-orchestras-and-choirs-comments-on-its-2023-classical-review\/"\">Simon Webb, the BBC\u2019s Head of Orchestras and Choirs, comments on its 2023 Classical Review<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><div class=\""post-header__image-container\" mt-sm=\"\">\n<div class=\""p-relative"\">\n<div class=\""image\" chromatic-ignore=\"\" post-header-image=\"\" image--fluid=\"\" image--scaled-up=\"\">\n<div class=\""image__container"\"><picture class=\""image__picture"\"><source srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/24\/2023\/03\/p0dcls4r-1782bab.jpg?quality=90&webp=true&resize=300,200\" type=\""image\/webp"\" sizes=\""(min-width:\"\/><source srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/24\/2023\/03\/p0dcls4r-1782bab.jpg?quality=90&resize=300,200\" sizes=\""(min-width:\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2018We know that the BBC Singers are much loved across the classical community and their professionalism, quality and standing has never been in question,\u2019 Chambers continues. \u2018We have said throughout these were difficult decisions.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Therefore, we want to fully explore the options that have been brought to us to see if there is another way forward. The BBC still needs to make savings and still plans to invest more widely in the future of choral singing across the UK.<\/p>\n<iframe title=\""Mozart\" performed=\"\" from=\"\" home=\"\" by=\"\" the=\"\" bbc=\"\" singers=\"\" members=\"\" of=\"\" symphony=\"\" orchestra=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/j-dv4rLOV5U?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" web-share=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<p>\u2018The BBC, as the biggest commissioner of music and one of the biggest employers of musicians in the country, recognises it has a vital role to play in supporting orchestral and choral music.<\/p>\n<p class=\""x_p1"\"><span class=\""x_s1"\">\u2018We will continue to engage with the Musicians\u2019 Union and the other BBC Unions about our proposals on the BBC\u2019s English Orchestras. We are committed to meaningful consultation and to avoiding compulsory redundancies, wherever possible.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<section class=\""highlight\"> <div class=\""highlight__content\" editor-content=\"\"> \n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/the-lark-ascending-skylark-recordings-project-will-benefit-researchers-and-composers\/"\">The Lark Ascending: brand new skylark recordings project<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/guarneri-baltic-violin-auctions-for-9-44-million\/"\">Guarneri \u2018Baltic\u2019 violin auctions for $9.44 million<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/westminster-abbey-st-margarets-church-to-welcome-girl-choristers\/"\">Westminster Abbey: St Margaret\u2019s Church to welcome girl choristers<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/2023-siemens-halle-international-conductors-competition-winner-announced\/"\">2023 Siemens Hall\u00e9 International Conductors Competition: winner announced<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/universal-music-group-acquires-hyperion\/"\">Universal Music Group acquires Hyperion<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p><\/div> <\/section> <p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> The BBC is looking at alternative funding solutions for the much-loved choir, and has confirmed that the Singers will perform at the 2023 BBC Proms <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":25852,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"2"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/bbc-singers-closure-decision-to-be-suspended.png",1116,750,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/bbc-singers-closure-decision-to-be-suspended-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/bbc-singers-closure-decision-to-be-suspended-300x202.png",300,202,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/bbc-singers-closure-decision-to-be-suspended-768x516.png",768,516,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/bbc-singers-closure-decision-to-be-suspended-1024x688.png",800,538,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/bbc-singers-closure-decision-to-be-suspended.png",1116,750,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/bbc-singers-closure-decision-to-be-suspended.png",1116,750,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"The BBC is looking at alternative funding solutions for the much-loved choir, and has confirmed that the Singers will perform at the 2023 BBC Proms","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/25851"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25852"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}