Birmingham Contemporary Music Group is one of the world’s foremost new music ensembles. Over three decades, BCMG has developed the music of today for the audiences of tomorrow. The ensemble...

Birmingham Contemporary Music Group is one of the world’s foremost new music ensembles. Over three decades, BCMG has developed the music of today for the audiences of tomorrow. The ensemble has commissioned over 175 pieces of music from the world’s finest composers and emerging international talent. Many of the works have been commissioned through its innovative pioneering Sound Investment crowd-funding scheme to which over 500 donors have contributed more than £300,000; many of these works have subsequently found their way into worldwiderepertoire. BCMG also supports the next generation of exceptional young composers through its Apprentice Composer in Residence scheme in partnership with Sound and Music since 2011.
BCMG was founded by musicians from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in 1987, with Sir Simon Rattle as Founding Patron. Since then, BCMG has reached over 10 million people in concert and through broadcasts. The Group performs regularly at CBSO Centre, Symphony Hall and Town Hall Birmingham, Wigmore Hall in London and at the BBC Proms and Aldeburgh Festival. International tours have included visits to the USA (Library of Congress), Mexico, India and venues across France, Germany and Austria. The Group is regularly heard in concert on BBC Radio 3, and has recorded extensively. Recordings include discs of works by Thomas Adès, Mark-Anthony Turnage and Benjamin Britten, and a Grammy Award-nominated recording of Gerald Barry’s opera, The Importance of Being Earnest, for NMC Recordings. Recent releases include Howard Skempton’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, a series of recordings devoted to British composers including BCMG's late Artist-in-Association Oliver Knussen, Julian Anderson and Charlotte Bray (all on NMC) and a disc of the works of Elliott Carter on Ondine.
BCMG’s work both inside and outside the concert hall has earned it many awards and accolades. Over the last decade it has been shortlisted for: ITV’s South Bank Show’s Classical Music Award; the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Ensemble Award and BBC Music Magazine’s Chamber Award. Its long-established Learning and Participation programmes actively engage young people in composing and performing, and have earned BCMG nationwide recognition (in 2016, the Group was highly commended in the Family Arts Festival Awards).
BCMG:Founding Patron – Sir Simon RattleArtistic Director – Stephan MeierChair – Christoph Trestler
BCMG is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.
Our At-Home Activities
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Noisy Toys
In this activity you will use the noisy toys around your house to create music inspired by the music of Joseph Haydn, Benedict Mason and the Modified Toy Orchestra.
4 - 16 years -
Deep
In this activity you will create music for imaginary or real deep sea worlds, inspired by Deep by composer Shiori Usui. You will also be encouraged to use the free software Audacity to help ...
5 - 16 yearsAge Friendly -
Lockdown Sequenza
In Sequenza III for Voice composer Luciano Berio asks the singer to mutter, gasp, laugh, whine and go through a range of emotions from tense to dreamy to bewildered. Lockdown has also been a...
7 - 16 years -
Old Instruments New Sounds
In this activity you will find unexpected sounds on your musical instrument and use them to create music - inspired by A Visible Trace by composer Rebecca Saunders.
6 - 16 years -
Music my Map
In this activity, the map of your daily walk, scoot or cycle will become a 'musical score'. Your musical ideas will be inspired by how you move and what you see.
4 - 16 years -
Rhythm Pick n Mix
In this activity you will create short melodies from given rhythmic phrases and order them into a longer piece inspired by In C by Terry Riley
4 - 16 yearsAge Friendly - Show more