sir simon rattle was speaking ahead of a special concert tomorrow, to celebrate the centenary of thenow facing an uncertain future. 0ur arts editor will gompertz, has been to meet him. the symphony hall birmingham, normally home to the city of birmingham symphony orchestra, but it is currently closed. leaving the orchestra to take up residence in a warehouse in the south—west of the city. they're here to perform their celebratory centenary concert. they'll be playing in front of tv cameras rather than an audience, but at least the band is back together. i realised just through this huge amount of creativity crisis, just how important playing music is. notjust because of that incredible excellence, or being on tour, or being on world—class platforms, or being rated best amongst the world, but actuallyjust because it makes people feel better and i think that's a really powerful thing to be able to do. so simon rattle is back to conduct the orchestra he led for 18 years and is clearly happy to be with them again, but he is also deeply concerned with the impact covid has had on the perfo

so simon rattle is back to conduct the orchestra he led for 18 years and is clearly happy to be withct covid has had on the performing arts. it's not ridiculous to say that the future of music is at stake and still at stake, that we can really make this transition into whatever the new world is, whenever it is. he's also worried about the cuts imposed by the city council over the last decade. what the city has done to the orchestra is a scandal. and we've all tried to support as best as we can, but this is one of the great orchestras in this country and they cannot be allowed to go under. the boss of cbso said the city council has stood by city arts organisations very well this year, but the longer the orchestra is unable to perform in front of audiences, the greater the likelihood of a troubled future, in stark contrast to its glorious past. and if you took it out, if the cbso no longer existed, what impact would that have on the city? 0h, huge. i mean, you need a core like an orchestra to be here, so people can be... it's a flagship. i mean, we are... if people go to any part of th

sir simon rattle was speaking ahead of a special concert tomorrow, to celebrate the centenary of theted for the first time since lockdown. 0ur arts editor, will gompertz, has been to meet him. the symphony hall of birmingham, normally home to the symphony 0rchestra but it is currently closed. leaving the orchestra to ta ke closed. leaving the orchestra to take up residence in a warehouse in longbridge. they're here to perform the celebratory concert, bilby plank from the tv cameras rather than audience, but at least the band is back together. i realised through this huge amount of creativity that is demonstrated through this crisis, just how important playing music is. notjust for how long that excellence or being on tour and being in world—class platforms being rated best amongst the world, but actually just making people rated best amongst the world, but actuallyjust making people feel better and i think that is really important thing to do. leaving for 18 years, he is very happy to be with them again, he's also very concerned with the impact that covid—19 is against the performing

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