Britain may not have a composing tradition to rival those of France or Germany, but its musical life is the richest in the world. The Royal Albert Hall's season of Promenade concerts is bigger than any other annual music festival; the BBC, which sponsors the Proms, has long been the world's premier musical patron, and the orchestras which it finances reinforce that claim. Britain's most important concert halls are the trio under the umbrella of the South Bank Centre. The Barbican Centre - built 25 years later - houses London' s other main hall, but acoustically unbeatable competition now comes from Symphony Hall in Birmingham, with Manchester's Bridgewater Hall close behind. The Wigmore Hall is the focus for Britain's thriving chamber-music scene. In the last few years Glyndebourne has rebuilt its opera house, the Royal Opera House has completed a highly successful revamp and English National Opera's Coliseum is now undergoing radical renovation. Young musicians come from all over the world to study at Britain's conservatoires, which turn out a steady stream of superbly accomplished soloists and orchestral musicians.

Michael Church, Classical Music Journalist