Welcome to our Spring Season of events!
Classical favourites alongside rarer gems
What could be more apt to begin the year than Mahler’s First Symphony, with its evocation of spring and nature awakening? Conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano, the programme also features a rare performance of Richard Strauss’ Duett-Concertino for clarinet and bassoon soloists.
This season, we feature cornerstones of the orchestral repertoire, with Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, alongside Mark-Anthony Turnage’s double trumpet concerto Dispelling the Fears, conducted and performed by Håkan Hardenberger; and Dvořák’s sunny Eighth Symphony, in a conductorless performance led by members of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Works by Haydn and Louise Farrenc alongside Saint-Saëns’ magnificent Organ Symphony feature in our Orchestral Masterworks programme, led by Natalia Luis-Bassa and Chloé van Soeterstède.
Something for all musical tastes
We welcome for the first time to the RCM the trombonist and songwriter Winston Rollins to lead the RCM Jazz Orchestra in works by the legendary jazz arranger Bob Florence. Contemporary music of a different sort features in New Perspectives, with classics from Luigi Nono and Helmut Lachenmann. It is a family affair with the RCM Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, performing choral and orchestral works from members of the Bach musical dynasty.
Chamber music delights
Chamber music is once again at the heart of our season. A varied selection of concerts in the Chamber Spotlight series includes a performance of Haydn’s Seven Last Words for string quartet, works by Cécile Chaminade and Couperin, and music inspired by the Sylvan Trio, that also features manuscripts from the RCM collection by Benjamin Britten.
Celebratory festivals
Spring is a time for festivals, and we celebrate this with our annual Keyboard Festival which uncovers works that deserve rediscovery. The Festival of Conducting returns and features our new Performance Simulator – a chance to conduct in a virtual auditorium – while Double Reed Day calls all oboists and bassoonists!
A star-studded guest line up
We have distinguished visitors for masterclasses, including Sir Thomas Allen, Alison Balsom, Sasha Romero and Dame Imogen Cooper, and a chance to get behind the lens with the celebrated photographer of musicians, Chris Christodoulou, who will be sharing his secrets and stories of capturing images of the greatest musicians of our time.
Uplifting opera
The Spring Season ends with that most uplifting of operettas, Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow, with its unforgettable melodies and sparkling entertainment.
We look forward to welcoming you.
Stephen Johns, Artistic Director
