Bournemouth symphony orchestra

Kokoro is the contemporary music ensemble of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. The title ‘Kokoro’ comes from the Japanese word meaning ‘heart’ and the group comprises both players from the BSO and freelance musicians committed to performing 20th century and contemporary ensemble music.

Since 2002, Mark Forkgen has been the ensemble’s principal conductor and artistic adviser. The ensemble has performed widely throughout the south and south-west of England, performing at venues such as the Wiltshire Music Centre, Phoenix Arts Centre, Exeter, Hall for Cornwall, Truro, Turner Simms Concert Hall, Southampton, Dartington Hall and at festivals such as Cheltenham and Corsham. It has also performed in London at the Royal Festival Hall

The ensemble has commissioned works from composers including Colin Riley, Eleanor Alberga, Keith Tippett, Piers Hellawell, Geoffrey Poole and Stephen McNeff. Other premières include works by Sir John Tavener, Hugh Wood, Hywel Davies, Richard Blackford and Joe Duddell, amongst others. In recent years Kokoro has organised a series of highly successful mini festival days devoted to Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Stravinsky, South-West composers and Britten. In 2004 ‘Take it to the Max’ mini-festival was attended by the composer and was short-listed for a Royal Philharmonic Society award. Kokoro¹s first CD, of music by Colin Riley, was released last year.

Highlights last season included the première of Stephen McNeff¹s music theatre-work Strip Jack Naked; and during McNeff¹s tenure as the BSO¹s Composer-in-the-House, the ensemble has worked closely with him and  performed five works specially conceived for them.

The ensemble’s 2007/2008 concerts in Bournemouth/Poole were all themed around the concept of snapshots of contemporary music from Europe, Britain and the Americas. The ensemble will also give concerts in Bridport and Andover and, for the first time, a series of concerts in Poole and Bournemouth secondary schools.

Kokoro gratefully acknowledges the financial support of ACE England as well the following Trusts and Foundations which have supported its work in the past:

The Holst Foundation,
RVW Trust,
The Britten-Pears Foundation,
The Britten Estate,
The PRS Foundation,        
The Hinrichsen Foundation and
The Idelwild Trust.