Songs For a Swingin’ Orchestra!

This concert was performed by The BBC Concert Orchestra for BBC Radio 2. Audio selections available upon request.

Songs for a Swingin’ Orchestra! celebrates the sound of orchestral swing from some of the 20th century’s most prolific and popular arrangers; Billy Byers, Saul Chaplin, Billy May, and Nelson Riddle.  Songs immortalised by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat ‘King’ Cole, Judy Garland and Linda Ronstadt and many more, all reminding us why this musical era remains so unforgettable.

orchestra

Songs for a Swingin’ Orchestra! - A celebration of the sound of orchestral swing from an unforgettable musical era, guaranteed to make any orchestra, and its audience, truly - swing!

A concert for 2 singers - 1 male & 1 female.

Orchestra requirements

Woodwind:

  • 2 flutes (2nd doubles piccolo)
  • 2 oboes (2nd doubles cor anglais)
  • 2 clarinets
  • 2 bassoons PLUS 2 alto saxes (both doubling flute)
  • 2 tenor saxes (both doubling clarinet)
  • 1 baritone sax (doubling bass clarinet)

Brass:

  • 4 french horns
  • 4 trumpets (1st trumpet including high and exposed solos)
  • 4 trombones
  • 1 tuba

Percussion:

  • timps plus 2

Rhythm section:

  • Kit
  • bass (upright bass, jazz player)
  • guitar
  • piano

Harp

Strings:

  • normal symphonic strings (minimum 10, 8, 6, 6, 4)
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