Performing the most thrilling & thought-provoking music the orchestral world has to offer. Broadcasting on BBC Radio, TV, Sounds & iPlayer!

Glasgow City Halls, Scotland.
🎺🎻🥁 Music-makers and music-lovers united. Join us across Scotland and experience the most thrilling, hopeful & thought-provoking music that the orchestral world has to offer. Our 24/25 concerts in Aberdeen, Edinburgh & Glasgow have been announced: bbc.co.uk/bbcsso
6
12
32
16,710
COME ON, #SCOTLAND! 🎶⚽️ Our players and famous faces are warmed up and ready to boogie to the (un)official #SCO anthem! Good luck, @ScotlandNT! 🕺 #BBCEuro2020 #EURO2020 @BBCSportScot
BBC Sport Scotland
19
264
732
On what should have been the first day of @Wimbledon 🎾our players have served up this divine racket! 😆 We hope their remotely-recorded performance of the #Wimbledon theme brightens your day! 😎 (p.s. no instruments were damaged in the making of this film!)
37
213
752
It's been a tough year so we've teamed up with the stars of @BBCComedyScot's 'Breaking the News' to bring you an alternative 2020 'Twelve Days of Christmas'. Enjoy!🙉😂🎄with @des_clarke @MarjoleinR @govindajeggy @jayjaylaffs @JaneyGodley @marknelsoncomic @ashleystorrie and...👇
26
216
639
Happy birthday, Sergei Rachmaninov! 🥳 To celebrate, enjoy this throwback to our rehearsals of Rachmaninov's beautiful Piano Concerto No.2 with the incredible soloist Boris Giltburg, and Ludovic Morlot conducting the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in February 👏
16
186
587
32,942
EPIC!! 🎹👏 #YuliannaAvdeeva plays Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto in #Tokyo #BBCPromsJapan
8
105
497
Stay paw-sitive this #NationalPetDay! 🐱🤦‍♂️ It's not only humans that appreciate some #classicalmusic during #lockdown, as BBC SSO First Violin Emily Ward demonstrates 🎶 #CatsOfTwitter #CatsOfTheQuarantine
10
149
384
Scottish guitarist @seanstshibe performs the expressive slow movement of Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, with Cor Anglais solo by James Horan Watch the full performance now on @BBCiPlayer conducted by @LazarovaDelyana bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0…
9
99
300
14,320
We wish you a very Merry Christmas from all of us at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra 🎄
6
78
299
23,346
Goosebumps!! 🤩 Saint-Saëns’s roof-raising ‘Organ Symphony’ in the magnificent Paisley Abbey! The orchestra and conductor Martyn Brabbins celebrated 60 years of Dr George McPhee as Director of Music and Organist at Paisley Abbey, an incredible milestone on George’s 86th birthday!
6
72
298
35,441
This is so beautiful 🙌 🎧 BBC SSO violist Rhoslyn Lawton is brightening up our #SundayMorning 🎧 #sundayvibes
11
76
259
Happy Birthday Leonard Bernstein, born on this day in 1918 #Bernsteinat100
5
119
236
WOW 🤩 what a night that was! Relive our concert with @Abel_Cellist and the World Premiere of his BBC co-commission 'Four Spirits'. Recorded in March, the cellist is joined by percussionist Bernhard Schimpelsberger, and conductor @taavi_oramo! @BBCiPlayer bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0…
6
64
239
51,025
When your dog arrives late to the concert...🐕 BBC SSO #Trumpet Mark Calder celebrates #NationalPetDay! 🎺 #DogsOfTwitter #DogsOfTheQuarantine
9
73
226
Happy Birthday, Martyn Brabbins! 🥳🎻🎺🥁 It's been a year since we pulled this classic prank at our @bbcproms rehearsal 🤣 #HappyBirthday #PromsTimeCapsule
2
53
222
A gentle horn duet from members of the Hornroh Modern Alphorn Quartet to get you in the mood for tonight's @bbcproms performance 😌Hear Haas Concerto Grosso for four alphorns @RoyalAlbertHall or listen live @BBCRadio3
7
77
217
Strauss's beautiful Oboe Concerto is certain to put a smile on your face! 😍 Here's a little clip from our rehearsals with world-class oboist Cristina Gómez Godoy and conductor Matthias Pintscher 🎶
4
29
219
The incredible @DameEvelyn showing how it's done! Rehearsals under way for the #BiggestWeekend @bbcmusic 🙌🙌🙌 bbc.co.uk/programmes/article…
3
71
197
Happy New Year from all of us at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra! #Hogmanay #Hello2019
8
72
197
Take a bow Lucas & Arthur Jussen 👏👏👏 Retweet if you wish you could play like this! They're with us in Glasgow tomorrow night (and Arthur in Aberdeen @apawhatson on Sunday) and hear them on @bbcradio3 on Monday night bbc.co.uk/events/edxbp6
6
98
199
Isata Kanneh-Mason's Beethoven is bold, beautiful and super playful! 🤩🎹 Enjoy our full performance of the Third #Piano Concerto on @BBCiPlayer now 🎧 @IsataKm @thekannehmasons bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0…
1
33
187
An uplifting final concert in #Japan! 👏 Bravo to our players, conductor Thomas Dausgaard and soloists Maki Mori (Soprano), #TaroHakase (Violin), Vadim Repin (Violin) and @JessGillamSax #BBCPromsJapan #UKinJAPAN2019_20 #LNOTP
2
38
198
Devastatingly beautiful! 💕😧 Enjoy a moment of stillness with Dido's Lament by 17th century composer #Purcell performed so emotively on #bassoon by @brown_graeme 🎧
17
53
180
😍🎶 @juliefowlis sings the Scottish Gaelic song 'Smeòrach Chlann Dòmhnaill' (‘The Mavis of Clan Donald’) - part of @BBCScotland's powerful meditation upon the care & carelessness humans brought to bear of Scotland's environment. Watch Now on @BBCiPlayer: bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0…
9
48
160
.@IsataKm🔥🔥🔥 A little clip from yesterday's final rehearsal of Prokofiev's fiendishly fast Piano Concerto No.3 🎶 Michael Sanderling conducts.
8
28
165
13,561
“I was given a little plastic recorder at school… for most people that wasn’t an important day in their life but for me it was the most important” @jamesmacm tells us where his composing journey began
3
60
161
Today's the day!🌍 Final rehearsal is underway for this spectacular concert with @conductorben. Enjoy music by @HansZimmer, @GFentonMusic & more. Plus stunning visuals from David Attenborough’s adventures & a special premiere of a brand new song by @HansZimmer & @Camila_Cabello
4
41
153
Wow! Emotional and moving performance from Tom Urie, congratulations 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
14
22
150
💥 Final rehearsal of #Beethoven's rousing 'Ode to Joy' with @BBCSO Chorus. All we need now is our @bbcproms audience at @RoyalAlbertHall! Watch LIVE 8pm #BBCFour or listen on @BBCRadio3 👏
3
24
148
15,374
So much PASSION! 🔥😍 Experience the sheer beauty of Sibelius’ Symphony No.2. This masterpiece by the Finnish composer is an exhilarating journey through lush melodies, dramatic tension and a triumphant finale 🎶 Conducted by Taavi Oramo. @BBCiPlayer bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0…
1
45
158
6,722
Abigail Young, who regularly plays with the #BBCSSO, found the perfect way to share her #MothersDay wishes while staying at home! #MusicLiftsTheSpirit #Dvořák's 'Songs My Mother Taught Me'💕
5
31
141
It's #HappyBirthday but not as you know it! 🥳🎉👏 Surely there's no better way to celebrate Igor #Stravinsky's birthday than with his quirky 'Greeting Prelude' (1955) 🎺🎻🎧 #OnThisDay
5
51
138
Sunday vibes!💕Relax with #Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto, played by @houghhough Sound familiar? Did you know that Eric Carmen borrowed Rachmaninov's 2nd movement theme for his pop classic "All By Myself", which was later recorded by Celine Dion... Watch now on @BBCiPlayer!
12
33
151
11,896
Wagner tubas ready to go!
4
22
142
Edinburgh @theusherhall audience are in for a treat! 🎻 Grateful that Tobias Feldmann has stepped in this week at short notice to play #Beethoven #Violin Concerto 👏
6
22
136
🎷💡 Soaking up the vibe in #Shibuya! @jessgillamsax has arrived in #Tokyo ahead of tomorrow's Last Night of @bbc_proms Japan 🇯🇵 Follow her updates on Instagram! #jessgillam #bbcpromsjapan #sax #saxophone #UKinJAPAN2019_20
1
24
136
Wishing you a fantastic Hogmanay celebration tonight! 🎶🎉 Happy New Year from the entire BBC SSO family. Bring in the bells with our brass players performing 'Auld Lang Syne' from last year's episode of The Edit on @BBCScotland 🎺
2
39
131
10,098
A look back at some of the wonderful artists we've performed with in 2023! 🎶 Thank you to our audiences who've listened to our performances throughout the past year.
4
29
136
7,711
Is this the most beautiful music ever written? ♥ Enjoy a moment of serenity from Strauss’s ‘Four Last Songs’, with the sublime voice of soprano Elizabeth Llewellyn (@SopranicBrit) #InternationalWomensDay Watch now on BBC iPlayer | Conducted by Martyn Brabbins
1
32
120
6,522
Happy Birthday #Mozart Born on this day in 1756 🎂 🎶
3
74
131
🎻 Our Principal Viola Scott Dickinson honours the 50th anniversary of Igor #Stravinsky's death today with this poignant performance from his home of the composer's 'Elegy for Solo #Viola'.
3
49
120
Retweet if you think we should perform this classical version of Cotton Eye Joe with @CBBC_Hacker #TenPieces
8
64
125
Seldom heard alone... EXCEPT during #lockdown 😍 It's our very own Peter Wesley and his soulful #contrabassoon. We're loving the fascinating facts too! 😲
12
36
119
Did you join in @BBCRadio3's #BreakfastSingalong? 😀 Our Principal Trumpet Mark O'Keeffe accompanied his neighbours during last night's #ClapForCarers with #overtherainbow 🌈 Join in!
5
40
119
Brilliant. @nyphil Archives shared this yesterday... #knitting #classical
11
158
111
👏🎉 Tonight's standing ovation for Dr George McPhee with the BBC SSO & conductor Martyn Brabbins. 60 years as Director of Music at @paisley_abbey, celebrated with a rousing performance of Saint-Saëns's Organ Symphony... all on his 86th birthday!
1
19
111
16,808
Congratulations to our Principal Percussionist Heather Corbett who is now the longest serving member, joining the orchestra on 24 Dec 1972. Can anyone top 45 years? @RSNO @SCOmusic @BBCSO @BBCNOW @BBCPhilharmonic ?
4
16
107
Simply stunning! 🦢🥰 'The Swan' from #SaintSaens The Carnival of the Animals, performed by BBC SSO #cello Sarah Oliver and Scott Mitchell #piano 🎶
10
27
103
.@pekka_kuusisto played us a tune written "for the devil himself" backstage at @bbcproms ahead of tonight's performance. Take a bow, Pekka! #bbcproms Listen live on @BBCSounds
33
107
Our brass section celebrates the 75th anniversary of #VEDay the best way they know how, with music! 🎶 Enjoy this medley of wartime classics Run Rabbit Run & When The Lights Go On Again, arranged by Principal Tuba Andrew Duncan 🙌 #VEDay75 #VEDayAtHome #VeraLynn
3
45
112
🌍 We cannot wait for tomorrow's Earth Prom!
❄️ Enjoy a sneak peek of the brand new song by @HansZimmer and @Camila_Cabello, which will be premiered live at the #EarthProm concerts at the @RoyalAlbertHall tomorrow, played by @BBCSSO & @ConductorBen, with a special guest singing Camila’s part. 🎟️ bit.ly/3QV0HJ8
1
32
108
Ahead of this Saturday's LIVE Prom from Glasgow's City Halls, @houghhough introduces Beethoven's Second Piano Concerto 🎹, and talks about working with us early in his career and why this year's Proms are unique. 🤩🎶 #bbcproms @bbcproms #beethoven
3
32
108
Vaughan Williams's Ninth Symphony has a very original orchestration. Includes a bacon roll in the percussion section, apparently...😀
7
42
111
🔔 🔔 If it wasn't for lockdown, we wouldn't have found out about our #viola player's hidden talents! Enjoy Rhoslyn Lawton's upbeat #JingleBells to get you in the festive mood 🎅🎄 #Christmas #ukulele
10
28
99
⏰ Rise and shine! It’s the ultimate alarm for your #MondayMorning – the countdown begins for Verdi's Requiem with Edinburgh Festival Chorus and a team of solo singers, conducted by Ryan Wigglesworth. 🗓️ Mark your calendars now – #Glasgow (21 Mar) and #Edinburgh (24 Mar)
3
29
97
5,757
We are thrilled to announce conductor, composer and pianist Ryan Wigglesworth as our next Chief Conductor, starting September. Find out more and watch his interview with Kate Molleson here 👉 bbc.in/3JaJFmc
14
90
What's that sound!? 🎧 EXCLUSIVE rehearsal footage of some of the #brass *committing* to #Wagner week! 💪🔥👏
3
30
91
Good morning, have you had your shower yet? 😱 🎃 #HappyHalloween #Pyscho #Hitchcock
5
31
95
Look what happened when the players surprised a colleague this morning! #theressomethinginmyeye #ByeByeBernie ❤️️😥🎻
1
30
96
Our driver Alan Hannah has been taking us all over the country (and the world)for 27 years! ⭐️Tonight in Inverness is one of his last concerts 😢 but he finally got a chance to conduct the orchestra (with a little help)! Thanks for all the miles, Alan! 👏🚚🎶🎵
6
16
93
Sound advice? 😉 Happy Birthday, Richard #Strauss! 🎉
2
15
93
Organ ✔️ Alphorn quartet ✔️ Full symphony orchestra ✔️ Listen live tonight @BBCRadio3
3
24
93
Happy Birthday, Maurice Ravel! 🎉 We can hardly believe it's almost a decade since we performed #Ravel's majestic Boléro with @MaestroDCR at @bbcproms 2011 🎶 #classicalmusic #OTD
2
31
96
📢 Cellist @StevenIsserlis & conductor Mark Wigglesworth make a welcome return this Thursday for our LIVE @BBCRadio3 broadcast of Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No.1 & there's music by #Haydn, #Mozart & #Ravel. Meanwhile, enjoy this stunning clip of Schumann from last year! 👏
3
34
94
If you own a cat and have a piano... #InternationalCatDay
1
42
93
Who's ready for #Shostakovich?? 🎺🎻🥁 We're back at @bbcproms & the baton has been passed to the wonderful Alpesh Chauhan, fresh from his conducting at the #CommonwealthGames2022 Opening Ceremony 👏
2
8
86
It’s his and he’s not letting it go! First rehearsals of ‘Pictured Within’ written specially for Martyn Brabbins’s 60th birthday by (amongst others) @sfbeamish @Gavin_Bryars @brettdeanmusic @daifujikura @WimHenderikx. World Premiere @bbcproms on 13 August 🎁👏#BBCProms
1
15
90
Not 1, Not 2, but 3 trumpets! 🎺 Isolation won't stop #BBCSSO Principal #Trumpet @markotrumpet nailing those all important orchestral excerpts! He takes on the trumpet trio from #Bartók's Concerto for #Orchestra (Mov. 1) #classicalmusic
25
94
Rehearsals going well for this evening’s Last Night of the Proms Japan concert with @tarohakaseHATS in #Bunkamura Orchard Hall #Tokyo! It’s going to be AMAZING! 😊🇯🇵 @bbcpromsjapan #BBCPromsJapan
1
14
98
Happy Birthday, Saint-Saëns! 🥳 Let's celebrate with 3 minutes of bliss - a stunning performance of #TheSwan by #cello Sarah Oliver, complete with Scott Mitchell's serene, rippling #piano accompaniment 🦢🥰 #ClassicalMusic
3
39
91
We're Bach with the latest #BBCInstrumentalSessions! 🤩 Enjoy this delightful performance of #JSBach's 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring', featuring #oboes of @BBC Orchestras 🎧
BBC NOW
2
24
90
A Happy Significant Birthday to our amazing Principal Percussionist @corbett_heather who is a youthful sixty-ten today!! She has performed with the BBC for 52 years. Here she is in 2017 in her natural habitat: surrounded by percussion for Birtwistle's 'The Last Supper'. 🎂🎁🍾
9
7
83
We are shocked to see hurtful & discriminatory comments made in response to one of our recent posts. We stand in solidarity with all our exceptional musicians & collaborators, & will continue to report to Twitter & where relevant the Police any posts which are highly abusive.
2
6
79
23,049
Such a haunting beauty! 🎻🎧 Our violinist Ben Norris performs a Northumbrian traditional song, Bonny at Morn. Ben recently spoke about his #lockdown experience on @BBCRadioScot Classics Unwrapped. Skip to 1:14:00 👉 bit.ly/BenNorris
7
21
88
Tonight, the @bbcproms comes to Glasgow! 🙌🥳🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Watch and listen LIVE @BBCiPlayer @BBCRadio3 Walker: Lyric for Strings Beethoven: Piano Cto. No. 2 with @houghhough @JayCapperauld: Circadian Refrains (172 Days Until Dawn) R. Strauss: Metamorphosen @alpeshconductor conducts.
4
29
73
📢 @ShekuKM is the latest soloist to join us in Glasgow! Listen NOW on @BBCRadio3 or watch @BBCiPlayer as he plays #Dvořák's Cello Concerto (arr.@george_conducts). Plus music by @jamesmacm & Augusta Read Thomas 😍 📺: bbc.in/38wjAOo 🎧📻: bbc.in/38wDb14
2
20
79
Mahler's Symphonies, 1-10. You can only pick one favourite. Go! 😈
140
6
84
31,334
How about some glorious Bach to brighten your day? 😍🎻 Watch us perform the first of JS Bach's famous Brandenburg Concertos, as well as music by Stravinsky and Schreker. Conducted by Sir Mark Elder. Available now 👉 bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08w5z3… piped.video/kQ_XBdPjCQQ
18
82
Happy Birthday, JS #Bach! 🎉 Here's a treat for your #SundayMorning. 13 trombonists of the BBC Orchestras, incl. our very own Simon Johnson & Jonny Hollick, perform Bach's 'Passacaglia' arr. Callum Au 👏🎧#BBCInstrumentalSessions
BBC Concert Orchestra
5
30
85
Guess who's back...🦒 Jerzy overseeing the set up for tonight's @bbcproms!
6
9
75
🤩💃 Our Principal Timpanist Gordon Rigby composed this energetic 'Twocata for two pianos', performed with great pizzazz by Lynda Cochrane during lockdown! 🎶👏
6
27
82
We wish you a very Merry Christmas from all of us at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra 🎄
16
84
5,739
Big round of applause for @JasonManford 👏🏻👏🏻
5
4
83
That's A LOT of people! 👀 We're ready for tomorrow's Beethoven 9 @bbcproms with @BBCSO Chorus & a wonderful quartet of soloists. Watch LIVE on BBC Four from 8pm or Listen on @BBCRadio3 & @BBCSounds 🎶 #MaidaVale
5
13
80
21,962
Live on @BBCRadio3 7.30pm! A @bbcproms UK premiere by composer Helen Grime, described as an exploration of joy in its many different forms, from a personal perspective. From whirling woodwind gestures to moments of absolute calm, it's sounding magical in the @RoyalAlbertHall
4
16
73
11,566
Just 2 days to go!🎅 Here's a little Festive classic for you!✨ A lively performance of Delius's 'Sleigh Ride'* by our flute section Matthew Higham, Brontë Hudnott and Luke Russell. *Arrangement by Jane Gannaway.
3
38
85
3,937
Forget roses and chocolates... #Valentines #Berlioz150
4
30
79
Our Principal Trombone Simon Johnson practicing with his children Sam & Martha for Glasgow #Trombone Weekend next month 🎶
3
20
78
Started playing #AddAComposerToAPopSong in the office. Who fancies a game? Inspired by Saturday's Scottish Inspirations we thought of 'Knussen Compares to You' by Sinead O'Connor and 'Itsy Bitsy Teeeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bill Sweeney'!
74
15
78
A big welcome to Adam Lee who has officially joined us as Principal Clarinet 👏 We asked Adam what he is most looking forward to in our upcoming 2023/24 Season and here is what he had to say...1/2
4
3
75
26,534
A sight (and sound!) to behold! 🎶 It's our first day back at #Glasgow City Halls and our Principal string players are reacquainting with LIVE music-making 🙌🎉 #NoClickTrack #MondayMotivation
14
75
Well that’s one way to open a Festival. Thank you to everyone who came to tonight’s @edintfest Opening Concert. Bravo to our soloists, the wonderful Edinburgh Festival Chorus @MaestroDCR and thank you to everyone who came! 🤩 #edintfest
1
13
80
🎻 #OnThisDay in 1910, #Stravinsky’s ballet ‘The Firebird’ premiered at the Paris Opéra and was an immediate success! @LazarovaDelyana conducts the BBC SSO in this live concert from March 2024, now on @BBCiPlayer bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0…
3
29
86
5,336
A moment of pure bliss! 💖 Enjoy this devastatingly beautiful excerpt of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.2, performed by soloist Ethan Loch and the @BBCPhilharmonic at the Grand Final of @BBCYoungMus 2022. 1/2
3
20
82
4,954
Pass the tissues! 💕😢 Celebrating #EnnioMorricone's birthday with his heart-on-sleeve Love Theme from #CinemaParadiso From spaghetti westerns to romance, the Oscar-winning composer, who sadly died this year aged 91, composed genre-defining #filmmusic for over 500 films & TV 👏
2
29
79
We just spotted this epic fail in the Christmas Classics programme. Marketing team had clearly been at the sherry when they proofed this. 🙈😂
8
3
68
20,588