Nicola Lisle finds out about the Oxford Philharmonic’s new season

Eagle-eyed music lovers will have noticed that there is something slightly different about Oxford’s premier orchestra this season – the name has changed.

After nearly two decades of being the Oxford Philomusica, the orchestra has now become the Oxford Philharmonic.

It’s going to take getting used to, and as I chat to Marios Papadopoulos, the orchestra’s founder and artistic director, I slip back to the old name a couple of times. So, what’s behind the change?

“The activities of the orchestra have increased in recent years, and will be increasing, so it was time to change to a name that reflects more our breadth and depth,” explains Marios.

“Philharmonic has a more permanent feel to it. In addition, some of our agents working on our behalf in Europe and the States found it difficult to sell the orchestra with the name Philomusica.”

As the Oxford Philharmonic, the orchestra has an exciting season ahead. Coming up this weekend is a concert with star violinist Nicola Benedetti, who will be joining the orchestra for Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major (not the Prokofiev Second Violin Concerto as originally advertised).

Coincidentally, Benedetti’s first professional performance of the Beethoven concerto was with the Oxford Philharmonic.

The concert concludes with Elgar’s popular Enigma Variations.

In December, there’s the Messiah, jostling for attention among other Messiahs by the Oxford Bach Choir and the Orchestra of St John’s.

“We always do Messiah at this time of year, and we always get good audiences. It‘s probably sold out as we speak,” says Marios. “But it’s not just that it sells. If I don’t get to do a Messiah at Christmas, I don’t feel that it’s Christmas!

“Also, it gives us the opportunity to work with different choirs, so it’s something we always enjoy. This year we’re working with Magdalen College Choir.”

Looking ahead to 2016, there’s the orchestra’s traditional Viennese Ball at the Town Hall in February, a Valentine’s concert featuring American composers Bernstein and Gershwin, Bach’s St John Passion at Easter with New College Choir and another string of star names, including American soprano Renee Fleming, violinist Maxim Vengerov and legendary pianist Sir András Schiff.

There’s a continuation of the Schumann series, the ‘FUNomusica’ family concerts and opportunities for youth in the Young Artists Platform.

“It’s quite packed!” laughs Marios.

Future plans include more concerts in London and overseas, particularly China and New York, and more collaborations with great world artists.

“They love working with the orchestra,” Marios says. “So we’re doing a lot with Nigel Kennedy and increasingly with Ashkenazy.

“It’s a gradual expansion. At the moment we do 40 concerts a year. We aim to increase that to 60, which is probably the maximum we would want to do.”

So how does Oxford fit into these plans?

“In Oxford we’re probably doing as much as we can, so I don’t think we will increase the amount of concerts.

“Even though we sell out most of our concerts now, we don’t want to slice the cake down too much!”

Where and when
Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra/Nicola Benedetti
Sheldonian Theatre
Saturday, 7.30pm
ticketsoxford.com