A selection of photos from the CBSO Debussy Festival, March 2018. Clockwise from top: Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla conducts a Family Concert at Symphony Hall; commuters enjoy Debussy piano music on a Midland Metro tram; CBSO musicians perform on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune; Debussy ‘Pianoathon’ at Birmingham New Street Station; Mirga conducts La Cathédrale engloutie; CBSO Chorus in Sacred Debussy. CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONTENTS Page Chair’s Report 3 Chief Executive’s Report 4 Report of the trustees 5 Report of the Auditors 19 Statement of Financial Activities 22 Balance Sheet 23 Statement of cash flows 24 Accounting Policies 25 Notes to the Financial Statements 29 2 CHAIR’S REPORT “it has never been more important for us to maximise our commercial and fundraised income” I am delighted to present the CBSO’s annual I am also clear that we must make the most of report for 2017-18, the year in which I had the forthcoming CBSO Centenary in 2020, and the great honour of being invited to join the the Board and other volunteer leadership has a Board as Chair of Trustees. huge part to play in this by leading a successful fundraising campaign. We will be talking more I have been an enthusiastic admirer of the about this over the coming year, but essentially CBSO for many years, and since taking up this we need to continue the fantastic progress role in March I have been delighted to learn made by Simon Fairclough and his Development more about all the wonderful things the team, who have made great strides over the last Orchestra does in the area of orchestral five years in more than doubling our annual concerts and in its choral and education work. fundraising income while also building up the Personal highlights so far have included joining CBSO Development Trust endowment. At a the Orchestra on its April tour in Heidelberg time when public funding for the arts remains (where two sold-out concerts brought home to under huge pressure, and with all the me just how high the CBSO’s international uncertainties surrounding Brexit, it has never reputation is, especially with Mirga in charge), been more important for us to maximise our Mirga’s superb performance of Fauré’s Requiem commercial and fundraised income – so let me and music by Lili Boulanger with our wonderful say a big thank you to all those of you who choruses, Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande in already support us in this way. concert, and a hugely enjoyable Best of Bollywood night with a brilliant and energetic Finally, I would like to thank my predecessor team of singers and dancers from this region. Bridget Blow CBE for her tireless work on behalf of the CBSO over the last six years, and for Of course the Board has a vital role to play in passing on to me such a committed and expert keeping the charity as successful behind the group of trustees. The CBSO is already in terrific scenes as it undoubtedly is on stage and in our shape: and over the next few years I am schools. To that end we have been searching confident that we can reach even greater for new trustees to make sure that the Board heights! has all the appropriate skills it needs, and is more reflective of the rich diversity of our home city and region. In the meantime, as you will see from the accounts that follow, we have been keeping a close eye on the organisation’s finances: together with the excellent work of the management team, this has produced David Burbidge CBE, DL another strong year ahead of budget. Chair of Trustees 3 CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT Upstream Photography As we approach the centenary of the Further afield, the Orchestra made a number of foundation of the CBSO in 1920, it is very overseas trips including first appearances with pleasing to be able to report that the ever- Mirga at the prestigious Lucerne Festival, and wider range of CBSO activities is in such rude two concerts at the amazing new health. In the pages that follow you will be Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg (as the first British able to read about many of the key moments orchestra to be invited there). We also had an from the last year, and you will also see that especially strong year in terms of new music we have managed to achieve all these things and living composers – with Gerald Barry’s while also strengthening the CBSO’s overall crazily enjoyable new Organ Concerto winning financial position. the prize for most unlikely and irreverent world premiere of the year. The artistic highlights of our first full year with our music director Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla have Among the CBSO’s extended family there have, been widely noticed, with ecstatic reviews and as ever, been some comings and goings. We broadcasts around the world. Last summer her said goodbye to outgoing Chair of Trustees dynamic interpretation of Beethoven’s Fifth at Bridget Blow CBE, with real gratitude for her the BBC Proms made viewers sit up and take exceptional contribution over the last six years, notice of her electric partnership with the CBSO, and we also said fond farewells to a number of and more recently the Debussy Festival marking long-serving musicians. But we are delighted to the centenary of the composer’s death in have been able welcome some very talented March showed Mirga’s enthusiasm for bringing new musicians to the Orchestra, as well as our together a huge variety of artistic partners from new Principal Guest Conductor, Kazuki Yamada. across Birmingham, resulting in performances David Burbidge and our other new Trustees will of great sensitivity. Along the way we have also carry on the great work of the extended family heard memorable performances of Mozart (his of supporters working hard to make the CBSO great opera Idomeneo), Haydn (The Creation, as successful and sustainable as we can despite which began our 2017-18 season) and the sometimes trying circumstances for arts Shostakovich (a thrilling account of his Cello organisations at the moment. I would like to Concerto No. 1 with 18-year old star Sheku record my thanks to all our musicians, our staff, Kanneh-Mason, an interpretation that has now our volunteers, and of course to all of you our become a best-selling CD). loyal audiences and supporters. The Orchestra’s Prom with Mirga was one of six appearances by the CBSO family at the 2017 BBC Proms – the most ever. Our Chorus and Youth Chorus appeared twice each (with CBSO friends including Sir Simon Rattle, Edward Gardner and John Wilson), and CBSO players Stephen Maddock OBE were well represented in Birmingham CBSO Chief Executive Contemporary Music Group’s own Prom. “The artistic highlights of our first full year with our music director Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla have been widely noticed, with ecstatic reviews and broadcasts around the world.” 4 CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES for the year ended 31 March 2018 The trustees are pleased to present their report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2018, which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES Principal Activity The principal activity of the charity is to provide a wide access to music for audiences and participants, within the West Midlands region and beyond, through its concert performances and its extensive education and choral activities. Mission and Objects Led by a world-class symphony orchestra, the CBSO family of instrumental and choral ensembles shares musical excellence in performance, education and participation with the widest possible audiences in Birmingham, the Midlands and internationally, enriching lives and inspiring people of all backgrounds. The objects of the charity, as stated in its articles, are: • To carry on, as a going concern, the undertaking of the orchestra known as the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. • To promote, maintain or improve musical education and to encourage the arts of music, mime, drama, singing and dancing. • To undertake or assist in undertaking the organisation and management of bodies of musical performers, performances involving the playing of music, lectures in the studies of music, other educational activities connected with music and bodies of students or persons interested in music in any part of the world. • To promote education in or the appreciation or practice of music, or the production of musical works, or the invention or improvement of musical instruments or of any means of reproducing music, by financial or other inducements or awards. Key Activities The strategy employed to achieve the charity’s objectives is to undertake the key activities listed below. • Promoting concerts in Birmingham as the resident orchestra at Symphony Hall, performing a wide range of music, including evening and matinée subscription concerts, a series of lighter symphonic repertoire on Friday nights, and schools, family and early years concerts. • Concert performances at other venues in the United Kingdom, including appearances at major arts festivals. • Concert performances around the world, acting as a cultural ambassador for the City of Birmingham, the Midlands and the UK. • Regular broadcasting work on radio and television and the release of CDs for a variety of recording companies. • An extensive education programme in schools and local communities, providing around 73,000 engagements each year, including a successful Youth Orchestra. • Running three “unpaid professional” choruses, one each for adults, young people and children, and one un-auditioned community choir, all of which perform with both the CBSO and other musical groups.