A sustainable plan for the future of the BBC Singers has been agreed by the corporation.
The broadcaster has been reviewing its performing groups to look at alternative funding models, after suspending cuts to the in-house chamber choir.
BBC Singers’ staff will continue to be employed by the BBC and be part of the broadcaster’s Radio 3 and Proms, the corporation said on Thursday.
“We know this has been an uncertain time for the BBC Singers and for our orchestras, and we’d like to thank them for their resilience and their continued commitment to delivering extraordinary music-making to our audiences during this period,” the statement added.
The BBC and the Musicians’ Union have been “engaged in constructive talks over recent months” and said they are both “pleased” with the new strategy.
“We agree that artistic excellence, having a growing impact in music education, partnerships and operating on a financially stable footing are central to a long-term, sustainable future for all of the BBC’s performing groups,” the statement said.
📢 BBC statement on the future of the BBC Singers and its Orchestras
➡️ https://t.co/dHlCHvpjcq pic.twitter.com/0LRLllgz4R
— BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) February 15, 2024
“We are committed to working together to deliver these objectives and will continue constructive discussions with the review of terms and conditions.”
The organisations have also been looking at new opportunities for the BBC’s orchestras, are considering “resourcing levels which support each ensemble as their work develops across broadcast, education and commercial activity” and looking at how conditions can be modernised.
The BBC is also applying for orchestral tax relief application for its groups, which include the symphony, concert and philharmonic orchestras, amid financial strain at the corporation.
Under the plans, the BBC Singers will work with a choral music education charity, the Voces8 Foundation, for its outreach work.
The partnership builds on the education and community efforts in east London by the choir, commercial work, and will help identify new opportunities for additional revenue for the ensemble.
The Voces8 Foundation’s chief executive, Paul Smith, and artistic director Barnaby Smith, said: “As a global, artist-led charity, dedicated to inspiring people through choral music, The Voces8 Foundation was committed to a positive outcome for the future of the BBC Singers.
“It is an honour and a privilege to have been able to work alongside the BBC towards this news and, through it, to continue the foundation’s commitment to finding innovative ways to extend learning and participation, and serve and grow global audiences for the art form.
“The foundation looks forward to working together with the BBC Singers to demonstrate how choral music can positively impact communities in the UK and worldwide in the 21st century.”
The BBC had considered collaborating more with partners across the UK, investing more in education, opening up the classical sector as a place to work and taking classical music to new audiences as part of its review.
The announcement follows the Classical Music Review, looking at the classical sector and the BBC’s role within it.