The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the world’s great orchestras. Widely acknowledged as one of the UK’s foremost musical pioneers, and with an extraordinary recording legacy, the Philharmonia leads the field for its quality of playing, and for its innovative approach to audience development, residencies, music education and the use of new technologies in reaching a global audience. Together with its relationships with the world’s most sought-after artists, most importantly its Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Philharmonia Orchestra is at the heart of British musical life. Today, the Philharmonia has the greatest claim of any orchestra to be the UK’s national orchestra. It is committed to presenting the same quality, live music-making in venues throughout the country as it brings to London and the great concert halls of the world. In 2015 the Orchestra celebrates its 70th anniversary and the 20th anniversary of the foundation of its admired UK and international residency programme, which began in 1995 with the launch of its residencies at London’s Southbank Centre and Bedford’s Corn Exchange. The Orchestra also has long-term partnerships with De Montfort Hall in Leicester (Resident Orchestra since 1997), the Anvil in Basingstoke (Orchestra in Partnership since 2001), and, more recently, at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury and Three Choirs Festival (Resident Orchestra). The Orchestra performs more than 160 concerts a year, as well as recording music for films, computer games and commercial CD releases. Under Esa-Pekka Salonen a series of flagship, visionary projects at the Royal Festival Hall, where the Orchestra performs over 35 concerts a season, have been critically acclaimed. City of Light: Paris 1900-1950 (2015), City of Dreams: Vienna 1900 -1935 (2009), Bill Viola’s Tristan und Isolde (2010), Infernal Dance: Inside the World of Béla Bartók (2011) and Woven Words, a celebration of Witold Lutosławski’s centenary year (2013), are followed in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons by Stravinsky:Myths and Rituals, a major, five-concert festival of music by Igor Stravinsky. Further highlights in the Orchestra’s 70th anniversary London season include a three-concert series of Salonen conducting star pianist Lang Lang; Vladimir Ashkenazy conducting Rachmaninov’s major orchestral works; Andris Nelsons conducting Bruckner Symphony No. 8 as part of his ongoing Bruckner Cycle; and Jakub Hruša leading Mahler’s mighty Symphony No. 3. The Philharmonia’s extensive international touring schedule continues in the new season. Following a tour to China with Vladimir Ashkenazy in June 2015, the Orchestra will tour to Germany and Prague with Christoph von Dohnányi and returns to Iceland for the first time in over 30 years. The Orchestra will also give concerts in Switzerland, France, Spain and Sweden and will appear in a major residency with Esa-Pekka Salonen at the Festival International d'Art Lyrique d'Aix-en-Provence. The Philharmonia’s Principal International Partner is Wuliangye.