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Catalan cellist Gerard Flotats is a versatile young musician, performing a wide spectrum of music, from Baroque music on historical instruments to Contemporary compositions with electronics. Winner of the Royal Over-Seas League Strings Competition, he has been invited to perform at music festivals around Europe. An amid chamber musician, Gerard has collaborated with renowned artists such as Daniel Hope, Roger Vignoles, Jens Peter Maintz, and the Doric Quartet.

Much of the music of German-Jewish Maria Herz survives via manuscripts alone. Composed during the early- to mid-twentieth century, amidst rising antisemitism, only five of her more than thirty orchestral works were actually published in her lifetime. It is largely thanks to her grandson, Albert Herz, that we can enjoy Maria Herz’s music in modern times. Tonight, star cellist and champion of female composers, Raphaela Gromes will join conductor Han-Na Chang – herself a prestigious cellist – to perform Herz’s Cello Concerto. Don Juan, based on the trials and tribulations of the legendary Renaissance-era Spanish libertine, begins the programme. It was one of Richard Strauss’s triumphs, catapulting the then-24 year old composer onto the international stage. Finally, the programme concludes with Prokofiev’s defiant and triumphant Fifth Symphony , a masterpiece that he described as being ‘a culmination of an entire period of work… a symphony on the greatness of the human soul.’

Following four sell-out tours, James Martin Live will see the popular TV chef and best-selling author visit 20 amazing venues across England, Scotland and Wales, combining the perfect ingredients of mouth-watering dishes with his warm Yorkshire wit. James says: “The live tours are brilliant so I can’t wait to get back out and do it all over again. If you’ve seen the live show previously then you know that our main aim is to have fun and if you haven’t been before, why not?! I’m going to be cooking live on stage and hopefully you’ll pick up some tips to take to your own kitchen but above all else, let’s get together and have a laugh.”

Step into the unparalleled world of Taylor Swift and her Eras experience in this electrifying show featuring the incredible Xenna – a celebration of the iconic pop sensation’s music, style, and unrivalled stage presence. From her country roots to her chart-topping pop hits, Xenna delivers a thrilling journey through “The Eras” of Taylor’s illustrious career. Whether you’re a die-hard Swiftie, or simply love great music, this is the ultimate homage to one of the biggest stars in the world. Get ready to relive Taylor Swift’s greatest hits in a show that is as close to the real thing as it gets!

The Hallé Rush Hour series continues with a contrasting pair of pieces, conducted by Euan Shields. Takemitsu’s A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden is a contemplative, peaceful work, evoking the solitude of a stroll through one’s garden. Arising from a dream, Takemitsu described it as a ‘shifting panorama of scenes in which the main motif representing the so-called “Flock” descends into the harmonious tone-field called the “Pentagonal Garden”.’

Following last year’s sell out tour, Mike + The Mechanics return for the Looking Back – Living The Years Tour! Starting in March 2025 and playing through the whole of the UK, this tour will see them play their hits including Over My Shoulder, The Living Years and All I Need Is A Miracle, along with some of Genesis’s classic tracks. Mike Rutherford says: “Getting back on the road with the guys last year was a real pleasure. Even though it had been four years, we slotted back into the old ways, the old jokes and the camaraderie like it had been a day! We had so much fun on the last tour and the audiences were so gracious and warm, when we played the final show in Dusseldorf we all agreed then that we wanted to do it all again. We can’t wait to see you.”

Best known for songs including How Long Will I Love You and The Whole of the Moon, The Waterboys have been led by Scottish singer and guitarist Mike Scott – their line-up otherwise ever-evolving – since the early 1980s, having won a fearsome live reputation with shows around the world. This tour will see their current line-up reconfigure music from all stages of the band’s career, from the early “Big Music” period to the roots-inspired Fisherman’s Blues era to the run of genre-fluid records they’ve produced since 2015’s Modern Blues, taking inspiration from sources as disparate as soul, funk and country rock.

Expect exhilarating live music and breath-taking choreography with Karen and Gorka’s newest offering, which follows their debut tour Firedance, which toured the UK in 2020, 2022 and 2023. Unlock the door to an undercover world of elegance and iconic dance flavours. From the clandestine New York Speakeasy to the sultry Havana dance floors and from the Burlesque Cabaret Clubs of the mid 1900’s to the glittering mirror balls of Studio 54, Speakeasy will be a delicious dance experience. Mamba, Salsa, Charleston, Foxtrot and Samba the night away with our electrifying cast of world-class dancers, vocalists and musicians.

The Farrenc Trio is a recently formed chamber group consisting of three experienced and versatile musicians: Raymond Brien, Wallis Power, and Joe Howson. The trio aims to present diverse and eclectic programmes in traditional as well as unexpected venues, making efforts to programme music by female and minority composers alongside staple pieces of the trio repertoire. They currently enjoy a busy schedule performing in churches, events, and recordings in London and the surrounding area, with plans to expand their reach to Europe and the rest of the UK.

Brahms, a lifelong perfectionist, had always maintained he would never write a symphony, seemingly convinced it would never measure up to the likes of Beethoven’s. It is therefore understandable that Brahms may have dragged his feet a little; it took almost 15 years to finish his First Symphony. Beethoven’s influence is nonetheless present, particularly in the fourth movement which is deliberately reminiscent of the ‘Ode to Joy ’melody from the finale of the great master’s ‘Choral ’Symphony.