From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia BBC Northern Dance Orchestra
BBC Northern Dance Orchestra
The BBC Northern Dance Orchestra was a big band run about the closure of the NDO followed, and the band was
by the BBC and formed in 1951[1] as the successor to retained. But under a shake-up of musical policy, the or-
the BBC’s Northern Variety Orchestra. Known to listen- chestra was slightly reorganised by the BBC in 1975 as the
ers as the NDO it broadcast on the radio daily from the
NDO, BBC Northern Radio Orchestra.[1] Under the leadership of
Playhouse Theatre in Hulme before moving to the BBC Neil Richardson, it continued until the BBC closed many
studios in Oxford Road.[2] Many well-known musicians of its in-house orchestras in 1985.[3]
played with the orchestra over the years including trum-
peter Syd Lawrence, who left the NDO and formed his
own very successful big band in 1967.[2]
See also
Using a standard big band line-up of five saxophones, • List of radio orchestras
a flute, four trombones, four trumpets, solo violin and a
rhythm section of piano, double bass, guitar, drums and
percussion, the orchestra was conducted by its musical
References
director Alyn Ainsworth, who also wrote a great deal of [1] ^ Garner, Stephen, Northern Dance Orchestra, Big
the band’s arrangements. He was succeeded by flautist Bands Database, http://www.nfo.net/brit/
and arranger Bernard Herrmann (not to be confused with bn.html#TOP, retrieved 6 September 2010
the American film score writer Bernard Herrmann). As [2] ^ Moss 1994, pp. 7–9
well as its radio broadcasts, the orchestra also appeared [3] Neil Richardson biography at Radio Cafe, URL
regularly on BBC television in shows such as Six-Five Spe- accessed 9 October 2010
cial, Pop North, and Here we Go. Bibliography
The band was threatened with closure in 1969, as • Moss, Phil (1994), Manchester’s Music Makers, Neil
much of its work was by then being carried out by the Richardson, ISBN 1-85216-086-1
London-based BBC Big Band, the successor to the BBC Links
Dance Orchestra and BBC Showband, which functioned as http://www.northerndanceorchestra.org.uk
part of the larger BBC Radio Orchestra. A public outcry
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=BBC_Northern_Dance_Orchestra&oldid=473152042"
Categories:
• BBC music
• BBC radio
• Radio and television orchestras
• 1951 establishments in the United Kingdom
• Musical groups established in 1951
• Musical groups disestablished in 1975
• British orchestras
• Music in Manchester
• BBC history
• History of radio
• Disbanded orchestras
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