Following a competitive recruitment process, Matthew Swan has been appointed the new Director of the BBC Concert Orchestra, beginning 27 March.
Matthew has over 20 years’ experience in leadership roles across orchestral music. He was Chief Executive of City of London Sinfonia from 2012 until 2021, where he worked to pioneer new and innovative performance formats, including inviting audiences to co-create their own performance experience, as well as engaging with artists across classical, jazz, folk and electronic to grow new and younger audiences.
He co-founded Your Turn Collective, empowering music creators from underrepresented backgrounds to create new work, reimagine historical repertoire and build community programmes on their own terms. In recent years he has led projects bringing younger, more diverse trustees into the cultural sector with RIAC (Responsible Influence in Arts and Culture). In his role as an Orchestras Live trustee, he co-authored the second Orchestras in Healthcare report, published in February 2024.
Before CLS, Matthew was a producer at the Roundhouse in Camden, where he created the Reverb and Voices Now festivals.
Matthew Swann says: “I am thrilled to be joining the BBC Concert Orchestra at such an exciting time, with the recent success of BBC Radio 2’s Piano Room, their continued partnerships with Nottingham’s universities and Orchestras Live in Great Yarmouth, and the upcoming launch of Friday Night is Music Night on BBC Radio 3. Having experienced the orchestra live in London, Nottingham and on BBC Radio 3, I am blown away by the kaleidoscopic brilliance they bring to the range of music they perform.”
Simon Webb, Head of Orchestras and Choirs, says: “I am delighted to be welcoming Matthew to the BBC Orchestras and Choirs team. Matthew’s record of both delivering high quality orchestral programmes and being committed to music outreach and education make him a perfect fit for the BBC Concert Orchestra, especially at this time when the orchestra is thriving. We are looking forward to what’s to come!”
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