Classic FM to mark Royal Liverpool Philharmonic's 175th anniversary with day of live broadcasts
5 March 2015, 08:55 | Updated: 20 January 2017, 11:31
Classic FM will celebrate the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic's 175th anniversary with a day of live programmes broadcast from the city
Classic FM will relocate from London to broadcast live from Liverpool on Thursday 12 March to mark the 175th anniversary year of the founding of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. The day will culminate in a live broadcast of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony from Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall.
Liverpool Philharmonic is one of the world’s oldest concert societies, with the UK’s oldest continuing professional symphony orchestra in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (RLPO). Through an award-winning partnership established in 2001, the RLPO is Classic FM’s Orchestra in the North West of England.
Classic FM presenters Tim Lihoreau, John Suchet, Anne-Marie Minhall and John Brunning will host 14 hours of live programmes from Liverpool John Moores University. The broadcast marks the first performance, 175 years to the day, of Liverpool Philharmonic’s very first concert, organised by a group of Liverpool music lovers.
The celebrations will culminate in the live broadcast of Liverpool Philharmonic: Celebrating 175 Years, the RLPO’s special anniversary concert from Liverpool Philharmonic Hall that evening from 8pm. Classic FM's Catherine Bott will present the concert, which will finish with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, on air.
The special day is part of Classic FM’s year-long celebration of its award-winning partnership with Liverpool Philharmonic. On Fridays in 2015, the station is broadcasting concerts by the RLPO, recorded exclusively at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. The series can be heard in The Full Works Concert, hosted by Catherine Bott.
Sam Jackson, managing editor of Classic FM, said: “The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s 175th anniversary is a major event in the classical music calendar and Classic FM is proud to lead the celebrations. Our very special day of live broadcasts from Liverpool and our series of concerts recorded at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall underline Classic FM’s commitment to bringing live music from the UK’s leading orchestras to our 5.6 million listeners.”
Michael Eakin, chief executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, said: “We are delighted that Classic FM will relocate to Liverpool for a full day of broadcasting their programmes from the city, assisted by one of our Principal Partners, Liverpool John Moores University. Since 2001, Classic FM has made a very real contribution in working with us to build new audiences for classical music in Liverpool and their support has gone hand-in-hand with a genuine interest in the cultural life of the city which they have shared with their millions of listeners.”
