RTÉ Concert Orchestra
The RTÉ Concert Orchestra has been declared the World’s Favourite Orchestra 2015
following the results of an international vote
The RTÉ Concert Orchestra secured a massive 25% of the vote in an international poll to find the world’s favourite orchestra. The Irish orchestra achieved double the votes of the nearest competitor, giving it the largest winning margin on the established poll to date.
The Irish orchestra beat off competition from legendary orchestras from across the globe, among them the Cleveland Orchestra and the Buffalo Philharmonic in the US, and Europe’s Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
Anthony Long, General Manager, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, said: ‘Over the last three years Bachtrack’s poll of favourite orchestras and conductors has established itself as a barometer of how orchestras connect with their audiences and public. This amazing result demonstrates how privileged we are to have such massive support from our public, coming as we do from a small country such as Ireland. I would like to thank our audience for this result, placing us as the World’s Favourite Orchestra, and hope we will continue to serve them with the quality of concerts and broadcasts they deserve.’
Musicians expressed strong backing for the RTÉ Concert Orchestra during the vote, including Marti Pellow, Brian Kennedy, Lisa Lambe, Paul Brady, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Chloë Agnew, Declan O’Rourke, Fiach Moriarty, Eleanor McEvoy, Tara Erraught, Rebecca Storm and Jack Lukeman. The most remarkable aspect of the vote, however, was the show of support by the orchestra’s audience. The public got behind the RTÉ CO to an extraordinary extent, voting wholeheartedly. Supporters who took to social media to help spread the word ranged from those who had seen the RTÉ CO perform in their childhood, to those who had attended concerts just weeks ago. True to form, the Irish enlisted support from around the globe, with reports of votes gathered for the RTÉ CO not only across Europe, North America and Australia but from the United Arab Emirates and the Philippines.
The RTÉ Concert Orchestra performed to almost 100,000 people across Ireland last year, with over 13,000 attending educational concerts. The eclectic programming of the orchestra sees it regularly performing film music – including screenings of classic films such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Gladiator and Pixar in Concert with live score, as well as classical, jazz and trad concerts with leading Irish and international artists. The renowned conductor John Wilson made his début as Principal Conductor of the RTÉ CO last year.
Ends:
2 October 2015
For further information please contact:
Tracey Diamond, RTÉ Central Brand and Marketing Manager
tracey.diamond@rte.ie / 087-7965075