Six new works have been commissioned from some of today's leading composers to celebrate both the bicentenary of the Royal Philharmonic Society and the centenary of Benjamin Britten’s birth in 2013.

Harrison Birtwistle, Magnus Lindberg, Per Nørgård, Wolfgang Rihm, Richard Rodney Bennett and Judith Weir have been commissioned by the RPS and the Britten-Pears Foundation to write works reflecting the diversity of ensemble Britten composed for, including symphony orchestra (Rihm), chamber orchestra (Weir), string quartet (Nørgård), tenor and piano (Birtwistle), and children’s choir (Rodney Bennett).

Groups giving the premieres include the Hallé Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, the Vertavo Quartet and Mark
Padmore and Till Fellner.

Other events throughout 2013 to mark the Britten centenary – including exhibitions and a series of opera productions – will be announced in the autumn.