As of 2016, the Tivoli Symphony Orchestra is changing its name to the Tivoli Copenhagen Phil. The orchestra encompasses over 70 permanent musicians.
In the summer, the orchestra plays in the Tivoli Concert Hall as part of the Summer Classic – while in winter, under the name “Copenhagen Phil”, it plays in the concert hall at the Royal Danish Academy of Music on Rosenørns Allé, as well as touring both in Denmark and abroad.
History
Ever since Tivoli opened in 1843, music has been an important part of its DNA. Founder Georg Carstensen quickly employed H.C. Lumbye to manage the musical side of things. It was hugely popular right from the outset, and the orchestra soon grew from 22 string players to a regular – if still small – symphony orchestra of 33 musicians.
Its repertoire was the newest music from Vienna – and Lumbye’s own compositions – but entire symphonies were gradually added to the programme. When Lumbye died in 1874, new conductors arrived with new ambitions. The orchestra carried on improving in quality, and new and exciting composers were added to the bill, including Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky, who played with the orchestra at the start of the new century.
During this period, it also became clear that the original concert hall was too small for the orchestral concerts, and a new, larger hall was built to seat 1500 people. Unfortunately it was bombed by the Germans in 1944 – and replaced by the existing concert hall in 1955.
During this period, the orchestra played once more in the Glass Hall Theatre – while also working tirelessly to gain year-round status. In 1965, the model that is still used today was achieved: a regional orchestra in the winter (the Copenhagen Phil), and the Tivoli Copenhagen Phil in the summer.
Until the 2016 season, the Tivoli Copenhagen Phil was known as the Tivoli Symphony Orchestra. However it is now changing its name to highlight the link to the orchestra’s winter identity.