The letter below was delivered last night to Tim Davie, the
BBC’s director-general. The signatories are the BBC’s leading conductors:
To Tim Davie, Charlotte Moore, Lorna Clarke
and Simon Webb:
We, the undersigned, read with disbelief Tuesday’s press
release outlining the BBC’s plans to disband the BBC Singers and instigate 20%
cuts across the English BBC orchestras.
The
worldwide renown of the BBC Singers – the UK’s only full-time, professional
choir – has been built over 99 years of groundbreaking, innovative work. To
kill it off takes no time at all, but the ramifications of such
short-sightedness are incalculable. This decision, if carried out, will be
devastating not just to the choir’s present, uniquely-skilled members, but also
to future generations of singers. And even a quick glance at the list of
world premieres given by the group begs the question – for which professional
choir will our composers now compose? Wherever culture is taken seriously the
BBC Singers are regarded as exemplars of what dedication, versatility and
slowly-built foundations can achieve. To be willing to consign all this to the
dustheap in favour of greater 'agility' and 'flexibility' displays a shocking
disregard not only of how artistic excellence takes root but, furthermore, how
the BBC’s great legacy across the arts is viewed and envied around the world.
Rewarding the outstanding work of our
orchestras with bit-by-bit erosion is equally calamitous. Aside from the
jargon, to claim that by cutting jobs you are somehow 'reinforcing the
distinctiveness of the BBC’s unique orchestras' is nonsensical. And what is the
use of 'doubling funding for music education and launching new training
initiatives' if at the same time you reduce the number of secure jobs available?
Telling our best young instrumentalists that hard graft will gain them only
freelance scraps is to misunderstand both their aspirations as well as the
nature of a top-class symphony orchestra. The latter can only produce its best
work in a stable environment – an environment forged by mutual understanding
and a shared vision. To perform the widest repertoire to the highest standard
cannot be achieved otherwise. And so we beg you to reconsider making these
irreversible, catastrophically damaging cuts.
Excellence must be fought for, and lovers of
classical music must be prepared to fight with fierce determination for what
they hold dear. Hence we would greatly welcome the opportunity to discuss the
proposed plans in person and to enter into a real and genuine dialogue.
Together, as guardians of the BBC’s legacy, we can surely forge a path forward
– a path which secures the ability of the BBC’s
ensembles to deliver excellence for our present and future
audiences. This is no less than they expect and deserve.
(signed)
Ryan Bancroft – Principal Conductor, BBC National Orchestra
of Wales
Jules Buckley – Creative Artist in Residence, BBC Symphony
Orchestra
Semyon Bychkov – Günter Wand Conducting Chair, BBC Symphony
Orchestra
Alpesh Chauhan OBE – Associate Conductor, BBC Scottish
Symphony Orchestra
Bob Chilcott – Principal Guest Conductor, BBC Singers
Sofi Jeannin – Chief Conductor, BBC Singers
Anna Lapwood – Artist in Association, BBC Singers
Sakari Oramo OBE – Chief Conductor, BBC Symphony Orchestra
(pictured)
Dalia Stasevska – Principal Guest Conductor, BBC Symphony
Orchestra
Ilan
Volkov – Principal Guest Conductor, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Ryan
Wigglesworth – Chief Conductor, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
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