What we do
What we do
Over 100 years of making incredible music with our city.
We exist to create exciting musical experiences to be enjoyed by all - building a life-long love of live music for our audiences, communities and musicians across Birmingham, the West Midlands and beyond.
Birmingham: A Musical City.
From epic symphonic concerts in Birmingham's Symphony Hall to intimate chamber performances at the CBSO Centre, surprise shows at New Street Station, and UK and international tours, we love to perform music that resonates with the people of Birmingham, the West Midlands and beyond. Take a look at our upcoming concerts.
The CBSO performs to over 170,000 people every year.
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In the last year...
- We gave over 150 performances at home and on tour, reaching more than 170,000 people. (We also performed at the Opening Ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games which was watched by 1 billion people around the world).
- We employed 68 full-time musicians, 367 freelance musicians and 43 members of staff.
- We welcomed over 100 visiting artists to perform with us.
- Our four choirs comprised over 400 singers from across the West Midlands.
- We performed 35 pieces by living composers, and 26 premieres (World or UK).
- We welcomed 5 string players from under-represented backgrounds as part of Career Accelerator Scheme.
We commissioned 40 new works as part of our Centenary celebrations in 2020.
Birmingham: The Youngest City in Europe.
Our work with young people across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands ranges from concerts for schools and families, to nurturing young talent through our Youth Orchestra and Choirs. It is our aim to make sure that music is part of daily life for people growing up in Birmingham. Find out more about our work here.
1 in 4 attendees at a CBSO Concert is under 30.
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In the last year...
- Over 270 young people took part in our youth programmes and ensembles.
- We engaged with 129 schools from across the West Midlands.
- Over 11,000 children watched our live Schools' Concerts, and 8000 young people were able to watch our live-streamed Relaxed Concerts.
- Affordable tickets for students and under-30s means that 1 in 4 attendees at a CBSO concert is under 30.
- Shireland CBSO Academy, the first-of-its-kind school, is set to open its doors in September 2023.
We're proud to welcome over 11,000 students to our Schools' Concerts every year.
Birmingham: A City built on Community.
We're proud of our region's diversity and want to connect and build communities with everyone in the West Midlands. Our work with communities includes work with schools, free performances in and around the city, and concert specifically created for those living with dementia.
Over 80,000 engagements with our communities.
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In the last year...
- We had over 80,000 engagements with our community and education projects.
- 75% of audiences came from Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.
- We presented 10 free performances in and around Birmingham.
75% of our audiences are from the West Midlands.
Birmingham: and Beyond.
As well as the work we do right here in Birmingham, we're also proud to be able to represent the city on a national and global scale through our regular tours and recordings.
- Our award-winning discography extends to over 200 CDs and continues to grow.
- In the last year, we've been lucky enough to perform in more than 30 cities around the world. See us on tour.
- We continue to reach new audiences through digital channels including Marquee TV, YouTube and our social media.
