You are about to discover 20 exciting short works for orchestra commissioned especially for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s Centenary celebrations.

When the CBSO marked its Centenary in 2020, there was never any question that new music would be at the heart — and since 2019 the CBSO has given world or UK premieres of 20 Centenary Commissions by some of the most prominent composers in the world today. In addition to these large-scale works, the CBSO also offered an opportunity to 20 emerging composers to write a short piece for the orchestra.

The original plan was that they would be scattered throughout the Centenary season. Then Covid-19 intervened. Instead, all 20 were played in one afternoon in a bumper exploration of all that’s most imaginative and vital in the new generation of orchestral composers. This concert was recorded live and is now presented as this NMC album.

Birmingham has a proud history of supporting new music. The CBSO’s centenary commissions offer 20 reasons why the city continues to be a leader in the creation and promotion of contemporary classical music.

The CBSO is extremely grateful for the support of The John Feeney Charitable Trust, who generously funded this concert