This Friday and Saturday evening we will be celebrating the artistry of 10 of the world's finest orchestras with two very special concerts and asking you to vote for the ensemble that you feel should be recognised as Gramophone's Orchestra of the Year.

This year's Orchestra of the Year Festival will feature performances by the Academy of Ancient Music, Accademia Bizantina, Bamberger Symphoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker, The Cleveland Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Philharmonia Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. 

How to watch

The Orchestra of the the Year Festival will be broadcast on Gramophone's YouTube channel and Facebook page. Each concert will be premiered at 7pm on Friday, August 27, and Saturday, August 28, and both will be available to enjoy for 24 hours after the initial broadcast. Subscribe to Gramophone's YouTube channel or follow Gramophone on Facebook to be sure that you don't miss out. 

And there's more ...

This year we have created dedicated playlists for each of the 10 nominated orchestras on Apple Music so that you can sample their most outstanding recent recordings in lossless sound. If you have not yet discovered Apple Music, it offers a three-month free trial to new subscribers and with its vast catalogue of recordings it is the perfect music streaming platform for anyone who loves classical music. Find out more and start your free trial here: Apple Music 

How to vote

Once you have enjoyed listening to this year's 10 nominees you can cast your vote either using the voting form below or by following this link: 2021 Orchestra of the Year Vote

Gramophone's Orchestra of the Year Festival: Friday, August 27 and Saturday, August 28 at 7pm on Gramophone's YouTube channel and Facebook page