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The First Piano Concerto was written when Rachmaninoff was just 18 years old and studying at the Moscow Conservatory. He revised the work 26 years later as a much more experienced, and ever self-critical, composer, but it nevertheless retains its original youthful freshness and bold ambition.

‘Hear the bells ring out, with their singing and ringing … they tell of oblivion’. For Serge Rachmaninoff, the sound of bells embodied the eternal soul of Russia, and he poured all his imagination into this sumptuous choral symphony, an odyssey through the whole of human life told in music of sparkling joy and rich, deep sorrow. It’s a glorious showcase for Edward Gardner and our world-class London Philharmonic Choir, and a wonderful way to follow the epic sweep of Rachmaninoff’s grandest piano concerto, with LPO favourite Leif Ove Andsnes (‘magisterial elegance, power, and insight’ – The New York Times) in the spotlight.

The London Philharmonic Orchestra enchants with Rachmaninov’s The Bells: music of sparkling joy and rich, deep sorrow.

Shostakovich’s quietly subversive Cello Concerto No 2 sits at the heart of a concert also showcasing Rachmaninov’s opus-numbered symphonic debut – a work teeming with Russian colour, expansive melodies, and protean energy. First though, we button-up for the London premiere of Kenneth Hesketh’s reworking of music from his opera The Overcoat. ‘John Wilson is the most exciting British conductor since Simon Rattle’ declares the Sunday Times. And his Sinfonia of London just can’t help picking up awards. Sheku Kanneh-Mason is no stranger to glittering prizes himself. Having won the 2016 BBC Young Musician of the Year with a performance of Shostakovich’s first Cello Concerto, he’s latterly championed its sequel; ‘throwing down ‘a challenging gauntlet that probes ever deeper the composer’s enigmatic and gritty late style’. (The Arts Desk).

Trumpets ring out as Shostakovich prepares to cut loose and party. Sergei Prokofiev meets a French violinist and writes a concerto with a Spanish sizzle: music that sings, dances and tingles in the ear. And, exiled from Russia, Sergei Rachmaninov discovers a glittering world of fast cars and big bands – and pours it all into a symphony that still, somehow, yearns and aches for a homeland he would never see again. All music tells a story and tonight, guest conductor Robert Trevino recreates a world of revolution, exile and burning emotions: three very different but equally colourful 20th-century Russian masterpieces, striking sparks off each other. RPO Artist-in-Residence Johan Dalene takes the spotlight in Prokofiev’s vibrant Violin Concerto No.2, the perfect showcase for Gramophone’s 2022 Young Artist of the Year.

Two supernovas of today’s piano world share the stage in virtuoso works for two pianos and piano four hands, crossing three centuries of music.

An unforgettable evening features Beethoven’s monumental Choral Symphony with its climactic ‘Ode to Joy’, performed by the renowned Philharmonia Orchestra.

“A dazzling tour de force” was how The Scotsman described a solo recital by Yeol Eum Son – going on to praise her “vital emotional connection with the music”. You can’t have missed the buzz around this remarkable Korean pianist; now hear her for yourself, as she joins conductor Jonathon Heyward and the full BBC Symphony Orchestra in Prokofiev’s ferocious Second Piano Concerto. Few living pianists play it better.

Rachmaninov’s world was turned completely upside down by the Great War. Severed from his roots, he fled Russia and began a career as a globetrotting pianist. His devilish set of variations, performed here by Bruce Liu – winner of the 2021 International Chopin Competition – embodies this nomadic life: written in Switzerland, premiered in America, based on a tune by Italian violinist Niccolò Paganini and infused with Rachmaninov’s own Russian style. Composers Erich Korngold and Béla Bartók were also forced by politics to leave their homes: both fled from fascism to the New World, and Korngold’s swashbuckling film score is practically a hymn to freedom. Bartók’s spectacular Concerto for Orchestra, meanwhile, is more than just a multi-coloured showcase, it’s a struggle between darkness and light, crowned by a mighty shout of joy.

### Event Description: Berlioz, Rachmaninov, and Shostakovich at Cadogan Hall **Date and Time:** Monday, 30 June 2025, 7:30 PM **Venue:** Cadogan Hall **Event Overview:** The Kensington Symphony Orchestra (KSO) returns to Cadogan Hall for an enchanting evening featuring the works of Berlioz, Rachmaninov, and Shostakovich. This concert promises to be a captivating experience, showcasing the exceptional talent of one of the UK's finest non-professional orchestras. **Programme:** - **Berlioz:** *Le carnaval romain* - **Rachmaninov:** *Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini* - **Shostakovich:** *Symphony No.1* **Conductor:** Russell Keable **Soloist:** Firoze Madon, piano **About KSO:** Formed in 1956, the Kensington Symphony Orchestra has built an enviable reputation for its high-level performances. Recognized as one of the best amateur groups in the country, KSO is celebrated for its professional sound and dedication to musical excellence. Join us for an unforgettable night of classical music at Cadogan Hall, where the timeless compositions of Berlioz, Rachmaninov, and Shostakovich will come to life under the baton of Russell Keable.