BOURNEMOUTH Symphony Orchestra will be celebrating its 125th anniversary with a variety of events for all the family – in and outside the concert hall.

The BSO will mark its anniversary in Bournemouth on Saturday, May 19, and Sunday, May 20.

May 22, 1893, kick-started symphonic music-making in Bournemouth and ever since, the BSO has been bringing world-class music to the town and beyond. To celebrate the anniversary, the BSO are putting on a variety of events from al fresco tea dances to the 125 Gala Concert with chief conductor Kirill Karabits.

The BSO is on an artistic high with ground-breaking concert appearances across the South West and further afield, a devoted supporter base, and its award winning BSO Participate programme beyond the concert hall.

Dougie Scarfe, chief executive of the BSO, said: “For 125 years Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra has brought the highest standards of music to our region, which has in turn been showcased to the world.

“The BSO’s work outside the concert hall is just as important as the work we do within it. The BSO’s 125 Anniversary weekend reflects both sides of the orchestra’s work, with a gala concert on the Saturday and other events throughout the weekend, such as a Cake Concert and al fresco tea dance. A fundamental part of the orchestra’s mission is to ensure everyone has the opportunity to experience and participate in great art.”

The celebrations kick off on Saturday, May 19, 11am with the BSO Brass performing popular classics on the Bandstand in the Bournemouth’s Lower Gardens. BSO Brass is one of the orchestra’s ensembles, made up five members of the brass section. This performance is free and offers the opportunity for audiences to hear BSO musicians in a different setting.

The BSO Teatime Trio will perform well-known and relaxing favourites in the BSO’s Cake Concert on Saturday, April 19, 1pm, at Bournemouth Pavilion. Cake Concerts are created especially for people living with dementia and their carers, who will be able to enjoy tea coffee and cake in a friendly and relaxed café style setting. The tickets for the Cake Concert are £5. To book tickets, call 01202 644717.

The highlight of the BSO’s celebrations, the BSO 125 Gala Concert, is at Bournemouth Pavilion on Saturday, May 19, 7pm. Long-term friend of the BSO John Lill joins Kirill Karabits and the orchestra for a concert of works composed in the first years of the BSO’s existence.

All have become firm favourites – from Strauss’ tales of heroism in Don Juan to Rachmaninov’s iconic Piano Concert No.2 and Elgar’s timeless British favourite, Enigma Variations.

The BSO’s principal media partner, Classic FM, will invite ticket holders to raise a toast to the BSO with bubbles and cake after the concert. This concert will be presented by Classic FM’s Anne Marie-Minhall.

Kirill Karabits said: “I am delighted that John Lill will be joining the Orchestra for the BSO’s 125th anniversary. The BSO 125 Gala concert is the perfect way to celebrate 125 years of making world-class music. I feel so proud to be a part of the BSO’s story, and I pay tribute to everyone who has made and continues to make this magnificent orchestra possible.”

The celebrations continue on Sunday, May 20, starting with a performance by the Mini BSO at the Lower Gardens Bandstand. The Mini BSO is a quintet comprising all four families of musical instruments found in Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. In this performance, the Mini BSO will introduce the instruments of the orchestra in a fun and family-friendly manner, with lots of opportunities for audience participation.

At 2pm on Sunday, May 20, the BSO Teatime Trio performs an Al Fresco Tea Dance on the Pavilion South West Terraces. This event is an informal and welcoming tea dance for everyone who enjoys dancing or listening to music, from waltzes to tangos, from jive to jazz.

The final concert of the weekend is The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom on Sunday, May 20, 3.30pm at the Pavilion. The orchestra will perform alongside the live screenings of these family favourites as Terry Davies conducts Rene Aubry’s inspired scores for the much-loved children’s classics, based on books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Schleffer.

To book tickets for the BSO 125 Gala or the Gruffalo and Room on the Broom, visit BSOlive.com or call the Bournemouth Pavilion Box Office on 0844 576 3000.