BBC Philharmonic An orchestra of many names
The BBC Philharmonic was founded in 1922 as the 2ZY Orchestra, named after the radio station for which it was created to perform. Over the next few years, as its role and size changed, its name changed to the Northern Wireless Orchestra, the Northern Studio Orchestra and then, in 1934, the BBC Northern Orchestra. Further name changes came in 1967, when it became the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra, and in 1982, when the newly expanded ensemble was retitled the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra – the ‘Orchestra’ was later dropped.