The Ulster Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Belfast, the only ful… Read Full Bio ↴The Ulster Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Belfast, the only full-time professional orchestra in Northern Ireland. The orchestra plays the majority of its concerts in Belfast's Ulster Hall and Waterfront Hall. It gives concerts across Northern Ireland, including performances at the Belfast Festival, the Wexford Opera Festival, the Kilkenny Arts Festival, and the National Concert Hall, Dublin. Since 1985, the Orchestra has been a regular visitor to The Proms. The orchestra currently employs 63 full-time musicians and 17 administrative support staff.
The orchestra was founded in 1966 by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, with Maurice Miles as its first principal conductor and with Jรกnos Fรผrst as its first concertmaster/leader. Fรผrst later became the orchestra's assistant conductor. The Orchestra has existed in its present form since 1981, when the BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra (BBC NIO) was disbanded. The Ulster Orchestra Society Ltd was then established (a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity) with funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the BBC, Belfast City Council and Gallaher Ltd., and the size of the Orchestra was increased with players from the disbanded BBC NIO.
Past Principal Conductors have included Bryden Thomson, Vernon Handley, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Thierry Fischer, and Kenneth Montgomery. Handley also held the title of Conductor Laureate from 2003 until his death in 2008. Since the 2009-2010 season, the orchestra's principal guest conductor is Paul Watkins. Past Associate Composers with the orchestra have included Brian Irvine, and the current Associate Composer is Ian Wilson.
The most recent chief executive officer of the orchestra was David Byers, who was named as interim chief executive in June 2002, and was formally named to the position in March 2003, initially for a 5-year contract. He retired from the post in September 2010. Dick Mackenzie became the interim chief executive of the orchestra upon Byers' retirement.
The orchestra has made commercial recordings for such labels as Chandos, Naxos Records and Toccata Classics.
The Ulster Orchestra undertakes a wide range of outreach projects, including workshops in schools throughout Northern Ireland, pre-concert talks and instrument master-classes. The Orchestra received the Royal Philharmonic Society's first award for an education project (in West Belfast). Recent major cross-community projects involving Belfast schools in areas of social deprivation have included Gulliver in 2005, A Marvellous Medicine in 2007 and The Pied Piper in 2009.[10] Brian Irvine, then the Orchestra's Associate Composer, composed the music for these last two projects. The Pied Piper project was awarded the Inspire Mark of the 2012 London Cultural Olympiad.
Principal Conductors:
Maurice Miles (1966โ1967)
Sergiu Comissiona (1967โ1969)
Edgar Cosma (1969โ1974)
Alun Francis (1974โ1976)
Bryden Thomson (1977โ1985)
Vernon Handley (1985โ1989)
Yan Pascal Tortelier (1989โ1992)
En Shao (1992โ1995)
Dmitry Sitkovetsky (1996โ2001)
Thierry Fischer (2001โ2006)
Kenneth Montgomery (2007โ2010)
The orchestra was founded in 1966 by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, with Maurice Miles as its first principal conductor and with Jรกnos Fรผrst as its first concertmaster/leader. Fรผrst later became the orchestra's assistant conductor. The Orchestra has existed in its present form since 1981, when the BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra (BBC NIO) was disbanded. The Ulster Orchestra Society Ltd was then established (a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity) with funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the BBC, Belfast City Council and Gallaher Ltd., and the size of the Orchestra was increased with players from the disbanded BBC NIO.
Past Principal Conductors have included Bryden Thomson, Vernon Handley, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Thierry Fischer, and Kenneth Montgomery. Handley also held the title of Conductor Laureate from 2003 until his death in 2008. Since the 2009-2010 season, the orchestra's principal guest conductor is Paul Watkins. Past Associate Composers with the orchestra have included Brian Irvine, and the current Associate Composer is Ian Wilson.
The most recent chief executive officer of the orchestra was David Byers, who was named as interim chief executive in June 2002, and was formally named to the position in March 2003, initially for a 5-year contract. He retired from the post in September 2010. Dick Mackenzie became the interim chief executive of the orchestra upon Byers' retirement.
The orchestra has made commercial recordings for such labels as Chandos, Naxos Records and Toccata Classics.
The Ulster Orchestra undertakes a wide range of outreach projects, including workshops in schools throughout Northern Ireland, pre-concert talks and instrument master-classes. The Orchestra received the Royal Philharmonic Society's first award for an education project (in West Belfast). Recent major cross-community projects involving Belfast schools in areas of social deprivation have included Gulliver in 2005, A Marvellous Medicine in 2007 and The Pied Piper in 2009.[10] Brian Irvine, then the Orchestra's Associate Composer, composed the music for these last two projects. The Pied Piper project was awarded the Inspire Mark of the 2012 London Cultural Olympiad.
Principal Conductors:
Maurice Miles (1966โ1967)
Sergiu Comissiona (1967โ1969)
Edgar Cosma (1969โ1974)
Alun Francis (1974โ1976)
Bryden Thomson (1977โ1985)
Vernon Handley (1985โ1989)
Yan Pascal Tortelier (1989โ1992)
En Shao (1992โ1995)
Dmitry Sitkovetsky (1996โ2001)
Thierry Fischer (2001โ2006)
Kenneth Montgomery (2007โ2010)
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First Movement
Ulster Orchestra Lyrics
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The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
@topman6727
nothing lasts forever, appreciate life and good health if you have it, don't dwell on the past too much, look forward to getting out to some live music again!!
@ChicaneMusic
Wise words, man!
@warequalsnofuture
But not if the prerequisite is "vaccination".
@BeansAutosLTD
Top Man, The clock never stops ticking. if we chose the seconds hand or the minutes hand we all have to accept the hour markers. Cant wait to see some 80's music played live again xx
@Cless_Aurion
@warequalsnofuture I know right? Who wants to be on a live concert with a bunch of rat lickers?
@warequalsnofuture
@Cless Aurion What do you mean by "rat lickers"?
@WarrenEscott-pu5pe
Itโs 2024 and this masterpiece is just as relevant! This is THE GREATEST of live orchestral and dance music Iโve ever listened to!
@Marinacnew
me too
@zeboczulu
Fabulous so much better anything these days!! I am 74 and just love this music awesome!
@ChicaneMusic
Zeboczulu, many thanks!