The BBC's director general Sir Tony Hall has announced plans for new music studios that will provide a purpose-built base for the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and the BBC Singers.
The new site, which will be built by the London Legacy Development Corporationin the Stratford Waterfront development in East London , will include state-of-the-art music recording and rehearsal studios and, as well as the BBC SO and Chorus and BBC Singers, will also be used regularly by the BBC Concert Orchestra. The move to the new building from the current studios in Maida Vale is currently planned for 2022/23.
The ambition is that the move will enable the BBC to engage a wider audience as it plans to run music sessions with local schools and education groups. By locating its music recording studios in Stratford, the BBC aims to establish the area as a music destination. The Stratford Waterfront development is also home to a number of cultural and educational institutions, including the V&A, Sadler’s Wells and the London College of Fashion.
'We’re hugely excited about the prospect of joining the new Stratford Waterfront development,' says Hall. 'The future home of the BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, BBC Singers and our rock and pop recording facilities is one of the most exciting cultural developments in London. With so many world-class arts organisations on one site there will be great opportunities for partnerships and new projects – and we’re looking forward to getting involved.'
