New Philharmonia Orchestra

After the Second World War, EMI record producer Walter Legge created the Philharmonia Orchestra to act as his personal ensemble for recordings. In 1957, while preparing to capture Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony" with Otto Klempere at the podium, Legge established The Philharmonia Chorus so it could supply the vocal parts for both the studio sessions and the accompanying public concert.

This meticulously auditioned and rehearsed amateur group of 250 voices promptly raised the benchmark for large British choirs and remained active to furnish choral forces for Legge’s subsequent projects. When Legge “suspended” the Philharmonia in 1964 with the apparent intention of terminating both the orchestra and the chorus, each body independently reconstituted itself as a self-governing entity. Although Legge at first withheld the celebrated name, the chorus performed for a time as “The New Philharmonia,” restoring the title “The Philharmonia Chorus” in 1977 in tandem with the orchestra.

Chorus members elect a council drawn exclusively from active singers, frequently choosing colleagues whose professional backgrounds lie in law, administration, travel, public relations, and marketing; this arrangement keeps overhead costs minimal. The ensemble makes itself available to concert organizations and promoters seeking its services.

Separate from The Philharmonia despite their historical connection, the chorus has appeared with the London Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra. It has toured extensively and participated in numerous recordings while preserving its standing as one of the world’s finest large amateur choirs.