Composer

Jess Walter, New York Times best-selling author, brings us his own witty, irreverent, and lyrical take on Britten’s “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” (aka “The Inland Northwesterner’s Guide to the Orchestra”).

EPSG:4326

Masterworks 5: Stolen Melodies

Martin Woldson Theater

Guest Concert for the 20th anniversary of the Leipzig University Orchestra

Gewandhaus

Fresh from his wildly successful recent appearance with the DSO, Edward Gardner returns to conduct Holst’s most famous score, with the astrological character of each of the celestial bodies. Each planetary “portrait” reveals a fitting attribute, from Mars’ bellicose hammer blows to the haunting resonances of Neptune, “The Mystic,” with female voices singing wordlessly off stage till they fade away into the great unknown. Walton’s regal hymn of praise was commissioned to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953 and sung as she made her exit from Westminster Abbey. David Childs, euphonium sensation and brass faculty member of the University of North Texas, solos in the US premiere of a concerto by critically acclaimed Scottish composer James MacMillan, whose music is esteemed “for its rhythmic excitement and powerful emotional communication.”

Holst’s The Planets

Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center

The most powerful soundtracks can stand alone without any visual support. They come alive, becoming characters in their own right, and hearing a few bars can instantly transport us back to a favourite scene.

Symphonic Tales of British Cinema: From Hercule Poirot to Harry Potter

Centre Leonardo Da Vinci

Place des Arts

How do you celebrate New Year's Eve? Raclette, champagne, and fireworks? Looking back and looking ahead? Perhaps good conversations, with or without a party? For us, New Year's Eve is, above all, music, with which we bid farewell to the old year and toast the new one with you. We're already looking forward to seeing you again on New Year's Eve: The wonderful conductor Elim Chan has already fascinated and enchanted us in four concert programs.

New Year's Eve

Cologne Philharmonie

Kronberg Academy

Ludwig van Beethoven’s first Piano Concerto is a youthful work that in many ways captures the emergence of the composer’s style. In this concert, Sweden’s Radio Concert Hall Berwaldhallen and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra welcome for the first time the British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor. After the intermission, conductor Yoel Gamzou will the lead the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in the British composer William Walton’s emotionally powerful first symphony from 1935.

Benjamin Grosvenor in Beethoven’s  Piano Concerto No 1

Berwaldhallen

Riley Smith (DMA ABD) is a classical guitarist with over a decade of performing and teaching experience. Drawn to the guitar from a young age, he quickly became enamored with the instrument—a passion that has guided his artistic and academic journey. He has studied under world-renowned pedagogues René Izquierdo, and Dr. Andrew Zohn, earning degrees in Guitar Performance from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (BFA, 2020) and Columbus State University (MM, 2022).

Riley Smith – DMA Guitar Recital

Hamel Music Center

Czech Philharmonic • Variations

Karlovy Vary City Theatre

Karpman, composer of many acclaimed film and game soundtracks including for American Fiction, The Marvels and Kung Fu Panda 2, is a fierce advocate for equality in the film industry.

Balls: Marin Alsop Conducts Laura Karpman

Southbank Centre

Laura Karpman’s opera Balls tells the story of the Battle of the Sexes tennis match of 1973 – a decisive victory for Billie Jean King and for gender equality.

Composer Laura Karpman, conductor Marin Alsop  and actor Emma Kennedy are the perfect team to bring this turning point in the struggle for women’s rights to a 21st-century audience. Karpman, composer of many acclaimed film and game soundtracks including American Fiction, The Marvels and Kung Fu Panda 2, is a fierce advocate for equality in the film industry. Marin Alsop has blazed a trail for women conductors, through a performing career studded with ‘firsts’ and as a mentor and educator. Emma Kennedy is a multi-talented writer-performer who has won awards for her books, radio shows, TV series and films.

Battle of the Sexes: Marin Alsop conducts Balls

Making her debut with the TSO, Yura Lee solos on not one, but two instruments! In a rare turn, Lee will perform both the Walton Viola Concerto and Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending on violin on a program of contrasts.

Strauss and Britten

Linda Ronstadt Music Hall

As Napoleon's troops laid siege to the city, Ludwig van Beethoven composed his Emperor Concerto. Beethoven himself never referred to his Piano Concerto No. 5 as such, but the moment you hear it, you'll understand where the nickname came from. The piece is grand, heroic and majestic - qualities that pianist Lucas Jussen, celebrated for his Beethoven interpretations, will bring to life for us tonight. It makes for a striking contrast to the second half of the evening: Walton's bold and dramatic Symphony No. 1.

Walton & Beethoven

Amare

Experience the majesty of Fanfares and Flourishes. Join Goldsmiths Choral Union and Affinity Chamber Orchestra for an exhilarating and joyful evening of music that celebrates the splendour and triumph of the human spirit. Fanfares and Flourishes is a vibrant, uplifting programme that brings together powerful choral works and dazzling brass to explore themes of celebration, reverence, and exaltation.

Fanfares and Flourishes

Smith Square Hall

With this concert, Sir Donald Runnicles assumes his position as chief conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic and simultaneously opens our British Festival. The evening, full of European and British music history, begins with Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis," a deeply emotional and majestic piece that highlights the beauty of the English music tradition. William Walton's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra puts the larger sister of the violin in the spotlight. With virtuosic solo passages and dynamic orchestral accompaniment, this piece creates goosebump moments and showcases the viola in all its versatility and expressiveness. The crowning finale is Johannes Brahms' Fourth Symphony, a masterpiece that initially faced challenges at its inception. Its beginning appeared too abstract to contemporaries. Today, 140 years after its creation, the poetry of this beginning, the exuberance of the third movement, and the solemnity of the finale make Brahms' Fourth one of the most beloved symphonies of all time.

Sir Donald with Brahms

Palace of Culture

Not an obvious match – but somehow, they clicked, and Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet drives straight to the raw, tender heart of Shakespeare’s drama.

Romeo and Juliet

Sergei Prokofiev was the bad boy of Russian music; Romeo and Juliet is the greatest love story ever told. Not an obvious match – but somehow, they clicked, and Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet drives straight to the raw, tender heart of Shakespeare’s drama. Tonight, it’s one of three very different visions of paradise from guest conductor Elim Chan. Cellist Nicolas Altstaedt plays the sun-kissed concerto that William Walton composed on a Mediterranean island. Meanwhile, with the UK premiere of Contested Eden, composer Gabriela Lena Frank joins our Harmony with Nature debate with a very personal response to California’s wildfires.

Guest performance in Weißenfels »Back from vacation«

Weißenfels Cultural Center

The Five Pieces for String Quartet were the work with which Erwin Schulhoff achieved his breakthrough in Salzburg in 1924. The dedication to his French colleague Darius Milhaud reveals what he was aiming for: the concise brevity of the movements, the suite-like sequence, and the aphoristic treatment of the material. The "Five Pieces" are primarily rhythmically inspired, which is probably why one review described them as "nice and lively dance pieces." One should not be fooled by this pleasantness: Schulhoff experiments ingeniously with motivic, metrical, and harmonic forms.

In the middle of the 20th century

Bochumer Symphoniker

Get ready for an unforgettable evening of classical music where you can witness the incredible talent of rising stars as they take the stage.

Experience the fiery passion of Grieg's Piano Concerto, captivated by the soulful melodies of Walton's Viola Concerto and prepare to be swept away by the virtuosity of Wieniawski's Violin Concerto, presented in its entirety.

Join us in celebrating the power and promise of young musical prodigies!

Extraordinary Youth

Eglinton St. George's United Church

Guest performance in Arnstadt »Back from vacation«

Theater im Schlossgarten

Few WASO debuts are met with the ecstatic acclaim that greeted Vasily Petrenko’s in 2022. He returns in 2025 with Walton’s grand Spitfire Prelude and Fugue and Vaughan Williams’ profoundly moving Fifth Symphony. Associate Principal Clarinet, Som Howie, makes his WASO concerto debut with Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto – a timeless masterpiece of expressive elegance and virtuosic flair.

Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto

The University of Western Australia

Few WASO debuts are met with the ecstatic acclaim that greeted Vasily Petrenko’s in 2022. He returns with music from his adopted homeland; Walton’s grand Spitfire Prelude and Fugue and Vaughan Williams’ profoundly moving Fifth Symphony.

Matinee Symphony Series: Prelude to Peace

State Theatre Centre of WA

Few WASO debuts are met with the ecstatic acclaim that greeted Vasily Petrenko’s in 2022. He returns in 2025 with Walton’s grand Spitfire Prelude and Fugue and Vaughan Williams’ profoundly moving Fifth Symphony.

Prelude to Peace - Matinee

Coffee Concert No. 1 »Back from Vacation«

Volkshaus Jena

A celebration of Britain’s land- and sea-scapes. Hear the soaring flight of Vaughan Williams’s The Lark Ascending as well as the many moods of the North Sea as it meets Suffolk shingle in Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from ‘Peter Grimes’.

Great British Classics

Royal Albert Hall

Closing concert of the 65th Weimar Master Classes 2025 »The best for last«

Congress Centrum Neue Weimarhalle

All swagger, originality and ‘orgiastic power’, one of the great 20th-century symphonies, Walton’s Symphony No. 1, put the composer on the map – as the heir to both Elgar and Sibelius. Ravel’s jazz-infused, darkly atmospheric Piano Concerto for the Left Hand also breaks new ground: only one hand plays, though the ear hears all the richness of two. Nicholas McCarthy – the world’s only professional one-handed concert pianist – makes his Proms debut. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra opens its first Prom under new Chief Conductor Mark Wigglesworth with Shostakovich’s jovial Suite for Variety Orchestra, packed with tunes from the composer’s music for ballet, theatre and cinema.

BBC Proms Ravel with Nicholas McCarthy

Edward Gardner and James Ehnes

Lotte World Mall

Seoul Arts Center

Returning to the festival by popular demand, the brilliant brass players of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra present a glittering programme of music inspired by 'Eternal Light'.

Shining Brass: Bach and Bruckner to Walton and Wagner

St Giles Cripplegate

The viola emerges from the depths of the orchestra into the spotlight much less often than its high-pitched sister. The Englishman William Walton gave it the opportunity for a particularly grand performance with his concert. The warm tone of the solo instrument nestles here against a colorful orchestral part that can also be heard in the other two contributions to the program - the sparkling sound of Lyadov's "enchanted lake" or Stravinsky's ballet about the love-struck fairground puppet Petrushka. These fairy-tale sounds are brought to life by Marie Jacquot, designated chief conductor of the WDR Symphony Orchestra.

Fairytale Sounds – Marie Jacquot

Museum Ludwig

The viola emerges from the depths of the orchestra into the spotlight much less often than its high-pitched sister. The Englishman William Walton gave it the opportunity for a particularly grand performance with his concert. The warm tone of the solo instrument nestles here against a colorful orchestral part that can also be heard in the other two contributions to the program - the sparkling sound of Lyadov's "enchanted lake" or Stravinsky's ballet about the love-struck fairground puppet Petrushka. These fairy-tale sounds are brought to life by Marie Jacquot, the designated chief conductor of the WDR Symphony Orchestra.

Fairy Tale Sounds - Marie Jacquot

Perhaps no other orchestra has done so much to champion the incredible tradition of British music for strings as the legendary English String Orchestra, whose recordings carry the music of England from Elgar to today to listeners worldwide. William Walton was perhaps the true heir of Elgar’s legacy, and his Sonata for Strings is one of the highest peaks in the string orchestra literature. The programme opens with a set of short pieces which showcase Elgar’s genius for the miniature and continues with works showcasing two of today’s most engaging and exciting composers, Peter Fribbins and Ian Venables. Rosalind Ventris is the featured soloist.

Elgar Festival 2025 - Elgar’s Strings in Malvern

Great Malvern Priory

Was it, or wasn’t it, an act of defiance and bitter retort to Stalin’s displeasure? Shostakovich’s life was so utterly and constantly in peril that he could never publicly declare whether his Fifth Symphony was simply ‘a Soviet artist’s reply to just criticism’ or a satirical puncturing of the dictator, deliberately hollow but dressed as adulation.

Ulster Orchestra: Act Of Defiance

Ulster Hall

»Songs are like small operas into which you can bring many colors,« says Hanna-Elisabeth Müller. Young in years, rich in success, the soprano always devotes particular attention to the programs of her song recitals.

Hanna-Elisabeth Müller | Daniel Ottensamer | Juliane Ruf

What the imagination of ancient trysts can trigger. Debussy's "Prélude" signified nothing less than a silent revolution. For Ravel, it was an epiphany: "Only after I first heard 'Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune' did I know what music is." In his music for "Daphnis et Chloé," he presented sound in a completely different way, magnificently and expansively. In the splendid isolation on the island of Ischia, the late William Walton was no longer concerned with revolution. He enjoyed—and longed for—England.

Daphnis and Chloé

Tonhalle Düsseldorf

From the most delicate of musical miniatures, to the full splendour of Walton’s Crown Imperial, there’s nothing that can’t be played on a great organ. And there’s no organist alive who knows the Philharmonic Hall organ better than Liverpool’s City Organist Ian Tracey.

Summer Organ Recital

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic

In 1929 the BBC asked Walton to write an oratorio for small chorus, small orchestra and a vocal soloist.  The result was anything but small!  Belshazzar’s Feast, to a libretto by Osbert Sitwell, turned out to be on an epic scale.  It rejuvenated English oratorio writing, and audiences were surprised with a jazzy, perhaps slightly racy, shocker. Bernstein revisited the score of his wildy successful musical and extracted nine sections to assemble into what he called the Symphonic Dances. The famous opening confrontation of the Jets and the Sharks is followed by the strains of Somewhere and the lively Latin dances of the Mambo and Cha-cha before the Cool fugue slides into the final, deadly Rumble, before ending on a haunting, unresolved chord.

Belshazzar’s Feast

Lighthouse, Poole's Centre for the Arts 

The Bach Choir and the Philharmonia Orchestra join forces for an evening of British music full of gripping stories and stunning landscapes.

The Bach Choir: Belshazzar’s Feast

Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, is—to only a slightly lesser degree than The Rite of Spring—a work that revolutionized music around the beginning of the 20th century, with its gossamer textures, subtle voluptuousness and elusive harmonies. Sixty-seven years ago Walton's Cello Concerto premiered in Symphony Hall with the legendary cellist Gregor Piatigorsky. BPYO alum Leland Ko, recent first prize winner of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) Competition, will bring it home again, with his richly lyrical tone and virtuosic flair. Maestro Zander says of Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2, "It overflows with love. From its first notes, emotion-drenched themes well up in an unstoppable flood, all clothed in Rachmaninoff's most gorgeous orchestration."

Debussy / Walton / Rachmaninoff

Boston Symphony Hall

In pursuit of their degrees at SFCM, each student presents a recital that represents their artistry and craft. Student Recitals feature repertoire curated by students with guidance from their faculty instructor. 

Haeun Choi, cello - First Year Advanced Certificate Recital

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

After Spain ( in the second chamber music matinee of the season ) and Poland ( in the fourth chamber music matinee of the season ), the fifth chamber music matinee takes a detour to England. Right in the middle of the action: violinist Catherine Myerscough, a native of London and a member of the NDR Radio Philharmonic since 2018. Together with three colleagues, she spans the Elizabethan era through early modern times to the present day. British music history is more colorful than you might think!

English. Chamber music from Orlando Gibbons to William Walton

NDR Concert Hall | Small Broadcasting Hall

Friday 20th subscription - Philippe Quint - Chatherine Larsen-Maguire

Opera Palace of A Coruña

KMH Brass and Percussion combine for a concert of classical original works for ensemble by Benjamin Britten, Samuel Barber and Usko Meriläinen along with two of the most famous arrangements for Brass by Elgar Howarth from William Walton's Spitfire Prelude and Fugue and Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. 

Best Brass - KMH Brass & Percussion

Royal College of Music Stockholm

Eleanor Hammersly, viola - First Year Master's Recital

Under the batons of Salonen Fellows Mert Yalniz and Aleksandra Melaniuk, soloists from the Conservatory perform concerto movements with the Colburn Orchestra. The program features clarinet, viola, horn, and violin virtuosos in works by Rossini, Walton, Strauss, and Shostakovich.

Colburn Orchestra: Concerto Forum

Colburn School

Stravinsky asserts that in composing Petrushka , he had the vision of a suddenly unleashed puppet, whose diabolical stunts exasperate "the patience of the orchestra, which responds in turn with threatening fanfares." All this before the battle, the climax, and the fall. But doesn't the viola in Walton's Concerto also have the traits of a nasty little rascal, who only becomes agitated to better bounce back and ham it up? Alongside Antoine Tamestit, the French conductor Marie Jacquot, winner of the Victoires de la Musique, makes her debut at Radio France and at the head of the Orchestre National de France.

Stravinsky, Petrouchka: Massy

Cinémassy

Stravinsky, Petrushka

Maison de la Radio et de la Musique

The Notos Quartet is one of the most celebrated, young, chamber ensembles to emerge in recent years - praised for its virtuoso brilliance, passion, sensitivity, and mature interpretive powers. Founded in 2007, the Berlin-based piano quartet first drew attention winning first prize in six major international competitions. They made their American debut in 2022 and we look forward to their debut in Tulsa!

Notos Quartet

Tulsa Performing Arts Center

Join the London Symphony Orchestra for an unforgettable evening at Carnegie Hall, New York, on Thursday, 6th March 2025 at 8pm. This marks the orchestra's highly anticipated return to the iconic venue for the first time in two decades, under the baton of Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano.

The concert will showcase the extraordinary talents of piano sensation Yunchan Lim, following his sold-out debut recital at Carnegie Hall in February 2024. Lim will captivate the audience with his performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No 2, a piece renowned for its emotional depth and technical brilliance. The evening will also feature William Walton's Symphony No 1, a work celebrated for its invigorating energy and emotional intensity.

Tickets for this must-see event are available from Carnegie Hall. Don't miss your chance to experience the London Symphony Orchestra and Yunchan Lim in a performance that promises to be a highlight of the musical year.

On Tour in New York

Carnegie Hall

The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) returns to Carnegie Hall for the first time in 20 years, under the brand-new leadership of Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano. Joining them is rising piano superstar Yunchan Lim, whose sold-out Carnegie Hall debut recital in February 2024 has attracted audiences from around the world. Lim is featured in a major piano showpiece—Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2—and the LSO further treats audiences to a rare performance of British composer William Walton’s invigorating and emotionally intense Symphony No. 1.

London Symphony Orchestra

Join the London Symphony Orchestra for an unforgettable performance on tour in West Palm Beach, Florida. Under the baton of Sir Antonio Pappano and featuring the virtuosic Janine Jansen on violin, this concert promises an afternoon of stirring music and passionate expressions.

**Event Details:**
- **Date:** Saturday, 1 March 2025
- **Time:** 2pm
- **Location:** Kravis Center, West Palm Beach, Florida
- **Program:**
  - George Walker: Sinfonia No 5, "Visions"
  - Leonard Bernstein: Serenade after Plato’s Symposium
  - William Walton: Symphony No 1

**Conductor:** Sir Antonio Pappano  
**Violin Soloist:** Janine Jansen  
**Performing Group:** London Symphony Orchestra

**About the Concert:**  
This concert features a compelling mix of works that speak to the themes of love, outrage, and personal struggle. George Walker's "Sinfonia No 5, Visions," composed in response to a shocking act of racial violence, is a powerful statement with its steely outbursts and urgent harmonies. Leonard Bernstein's "Serenade," inspired by Plato's Symposium, explores the concept of love through a lively dialogue with ancient Greek writers. The program concludes with William Walton's turbulent "Symphony No 1," a journey from personal turmoil to a triumphant, celebratory ending.

Sir Antonio Pappano, known for his dynamic conducting, leads the London Symphony Orchestra through these intensely dramatic works. Janine Jansen's radiant violin playing will illuminate Bernstein's passionate music, making this concert a must-see event.

**Tickets:** Available from the Kravis Center. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the London Symphony Orchestra's powerful performance in West Palm Beach.

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On Tour in West Palm Beach

The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

All Visiting Orchestras tickets include same-day admission to the The Baker Museum. Special museum hours on day of London Symphony Orchestra performance: 10am-7:30pm. In addition, the doors to Hayes Hall will open 90 minutes prior to this performance. Arrive early to enjoy the exhibitions and light fare available at Heidi's Place.

Artis–Naples

We’re full of surprises. Every Masterworks concert has a surprise inside – a short mystery piece that connects to the program in an unexpected way. Each one is Michael Francis’ little secret.

Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1

Duke Energy Center for the Arts

Pre-College Student Recital: Valery Breshears, violin & ﻿Starla Breshears, cello

Join the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for a mesmerizing performance of "Belshazzar's Feast" at the Atlanta Symphony Hall from February 13 to February 15, 2025. This spectacular 20th-century oratorio, conducted by the popular guest conductor Vasily Petrenko, features the world-class artistry of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and GRAMMY-winning bass-baritone Nathan Berg. The program begins with Sibelius’ lushly Romantic Symphony No. 1, setting the stage for Walton's "Belshazzar's Feast," a piece inspired by the Old Testament tale and known for its jazz influences, enormous orchestral and vocal ensemble requirements, and vivid conjuration of pagan revelry, cataclysm, and rejoicing. This event is part of the Delta Classical Series 3 subscription, offering a unique opportunity to save with a subscription. Tickets are on sale now for performances on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at 8:00 PM, and Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 8:00 PM. Don't miss this unforgettable experience at the Atlanta Symphony Hall.

ASO Chorus + Belshazzar's Feast

The Woodruff Arts Center

**Maconchy, Walton, and Vaughan Williams 1 with the London Symphony Orchestra**

Join us for an unforgettable evening of British music at the Barbican on Sunday, 9 February 2025, at 7pm, featuring the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Sir Antonio Pappano, with Rebecca Gilliver on cello. This concert promises to be a night of evocative music, portraying enigmatic nightscapes and the awe-inspiring power of the sea.

**Programme:**
- Elizabeth Maconchy: Nocturne for Orchestra (7 mins)
- William Walton: Cello Concerto (27 mins)
- Interval
- Ralph Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony, Symphony No. 1 (63 mins)

**Performers:**
- Sir Antonio Pappano, conductor
- Rebecca Gilliver, cello
- Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, soprano
- Will Liverman, baritone
- London Symphony Chorus
- London Symphony Orchestra

The concert will conclude at approximately 9:05 pm, including a 20-minute interval. 

**Tickets:**
Prices range from £70 to £18, with a £4 booking fee per online/phone transaction. Special discounts are available, including Wildcards for guaranteed entry with seat allocation on the day, multibuy discounts of up to 40%, and special rates for groups, students, and under-18s.

**About the Music:**
The evening begins with Maconchy's mysterious and dream-like Nocturne, followed by Walton's meditative Cello Concerto, which takes the audience on a journey from a ticking clock to a serene reverie. The night culminates with Vaughan Williams' monumental First Symphony, an awe-inspiring tribute to the sea's power, painted with rich orchestral colors and the words of Walt Whitman.

**Venue:**
Barbican, Silk Street, London

For an immersive experience of British music that explores the beauty, majesty, and metaphysical aspects of the sea, book your tickets now and be part of this extraordinary musical journey.

Maconchy, Walton and Vaughan Williams 1

Barbican Centre

Maconchy’s Nocturne for Orchestra is mysterious and dream-like, shifting gently and sometimes uneasily in its night-time landscape. Walton’s Cello Concerto seems to inhabit the same musical universe. It starts with a ticking clock and ends by drifting into a reverie. In between is a restless, energetic sequence of thoughts before the calm of the finale.

London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Antonio Pappano

Richard Strauss’ Tod und Verklarung (Death and Transfiguration) is a monumental meditation on the journey of life, beginning in childhood, through the trials and joys of adulthood, and ending in the transfiguration of the spirit. Music Director Rafael Payare conducts the Symphony in Strauss’ powerful tone poem along with William Walton’s beautifully lyrical and nostalgic Viola Concerto, written when the composer was only 27 years old; the concerto was intended for the great soloist Lionel Tertis, who played an 18th century viola of enormous dimensions with a sound of extraordinary richness, almost like a cello. The result is one of the few widely played concertos for this instrument, demanding from the soloist the sweetest melodic playing with the most vigorous and athletic virtuosity. The concert ends with Brahms’ melancholy and hauntingly beautiful Second Symphony. This immortal work was written in one of Brahms’ favorite vacation retreats, in southern Austria on the beautiful lake of the Wörthersee. “Here," said Brahms, “the melodies grow so thick upon the ground that one must take care not to step on them as one walks.” In an equally humorous mood, he wrote to his publisher about his new symphony: “I have never written anything so sad, and the score must be published in mourning clothes.”

Symphonic Journeys: Strauss, Walton, Brahms

Jacobs Music Center

Walker’s Sinfonia No 5, 'Visions' was his final work, composed when he was 96. It was written in response to a shocking act of racial violence. The composer’s outrage can be heard in its steely outbursts, restless energy, and urgent, jagged harmonies.

Experience the profound intensity and emotional depth of classical music with the London Symphony Orchestra's upcoming concert, "Walker, Bernstein and Walton 1." This exceptional performance, under the baton of Sir Antonio Pappano and featuring the virtuosic Janine Jansen on violin, promises an unforgettable evening at the prestigious Barbican on Thursday, 6th February 2025, starting at 7pm.

The concert will showcase a trio of compelling works, beginning with George Walker's "Sinfonia No 5, Visions," a piece that reflects on a harrowing act of racial violence through its powerful outbursts and restless energy. Following this, Leonard Bernstein's "Serenade" delves into philosophical musings on love, inspired by ancient Greek literature, offering a lively and learned dialogue for violin and orchestra. The evening will culminate with William Walton's "Symphony No 1," a work that navigates through personal strife to emerge in a triumphant and celebratory finale.

Sir Antonio Pappano, renowned for his dynamic and insightful interpretations, leads the London Symphony Orchestra through these intensely dramatic works. Janine Jansen's radiant violin playing will illuminate Bernstein's passionate music, making this concert a highlight of the LSO's 2024/25 season.

The performance is scheduled to conclude at approximately 9:05 pm, including a 20-minute interval. Tickets are available in a range of prices to suit all budgets, with additional booking discounts and special rates for groups, students, and young people. For those looking to make the most of their booking, Wildcard tickets offer a unique opportunity for guaranteed entry with seat allocation on the day of the concert.

Don't miss this chance to immerse yourself in the powerful expressions of love, outrage, and triumph through the music of Walker, Bernstein, and Walton, performed by one of the world's leading orchestras and celebrated soloists. Book your tickets now for an evening of unforgettable musical experiences.

Walker, Bernstein and Walton 1

Experience an unforgettable evening with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Half Six Fix concert featuring Walton's Symphony No. 1. This early evening concert, under the baton and presentation of Sir Antonio Pappano, promises an immersive experience with live introductions from the performers themselves. Set in the iconic Barbican on Wednesday, 5th February 2025, at 6:30 pm, the concert offers a unique format designed to enrich your understanding and enjoyment of Walton's masterpiece.

William Walton's Symphony No. 1, a work of emotional depth and complexity, reflects the composer's personal turmoil and triumph. Written during a period of great stress, the symphony's intense opening, snarky Scherzo, and tragic slow movement are testament to Walton's struggles. Yet, the finale shifts to a mood of cinematic celebration, showcasing Walton's resilience and artistic evolution. This powerful symphony demands equally powerful players, and Sir Antonio Pappano alongside the London Symphony Orchestra are more than up to the task. Having given the first performance of the opening three movements in 1934, the LSO continues its historic connection with this monumental work.

The concert will conclude at approximately 7:30 pm, making it a perfect cultural interlude to your evening. Tickets are available at various price points, with a booking fee applicable for online and phone transactions. Additionally, the Half Six Fix Season Pass offers a guaranteed Wildcard for all eight concerts in the season, ensuring you don't miss any of the action.

For those interested in booking, tickets can be purchased online at lso.co.uk or barbican.org.uk, by phone, or in person at the Barbican Centre. The LSO also offers a range of discounts, including multibuy savings, reduced prices for young people and students, and group booking benefits.

Prepare to be captivated by the London Symphony Orchestra's performance of Walton's Symphony No. 1, a journey through emotional turmoil to triumphant celebration, all within the span of an hour. This Half Six Fix concert is not just a musical event; it's an exploration of the power of music to convey deep, complex emotions and stories.

Half Six Fix: Walton

William Walton’s First Symphony was written during a period of great stress and personal drama. Worried about friends in Europe and heartbroken after the end of a dramatic love affair Walton couldn’t even finish the work before its first performance, and his turmoil can be heard in the intense opening, snarky Scherzo (directed to be played ‘with malice’) and the tragic slow movement.

London Symphony Orchestra: Half Six Fix – Walton

Kirill Karabits conducts works by Mozart, Saint-Saëns, Walton and Tchaikovsky

Kultur- & Kongresszentrum Liederhalle

Cheeky and witty, rebellious and rousing, this is how we start the year 2025 with our audience, featuring Maurice Ravel with his most stubborn and at the same time most popular stroke of genius and Bernd Alois Zimmermann from the Rhineland, who shows himself from a completely different side to celebrate the day.

New Year`s Concert in Amsterdam

The Concertgebouw

Bold and witty, rebellious and captivating – a great way to kick off the year 2025, together with our audience. Also joining us: Till Eulenspiegel and his Merry Pranks, compiled and turned into a symphonic poem by the Bavarian magician of sound, Richard Strauss. Indeed, this is a milestone in orchestra literature. It is masterfully orchestrated, and was premiered almost exactly 130 years ago by the Gürzenich Orchestra in Cologne.

And go - New Year`s Concert

And off we go – New Year's Concert

Juilliard Orchestra Conducted by Gemma New

Lincoln Center

"Jodde Honger" - in this spirit, we present you with aural delights in this concert. Verdi's "Nabucco" overture opens the evening with an exquisite specialty of musical theater. William Walton's "Belshazzar's Feast", the musical setting of a biblical banquet, takes you into a world of opulent sounds and rousing choirs. The evening is rounded off with Tchaikovsky's powerful Symphony No. 4, which offers musical enjoyment with emotional depth and masterful melodies. The Aachen Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of its General Music Director Christopher Ward, performs together with the Aachen Theater Choir, the "Tonart" choir and baritone Ronan Collett, who lends his voice to Walton's composition.

3rd Symphony Concert

Parkhotel Quellenhof Aachen - Premiumhotel Aachen

Join the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for a captivating evening of classical music under the baton of the acclaimed Australian conductor Nicholas Carter. This special event, part of the Delta Classical Series, will take place at the Atlanta Symphony Hall on November 21 and 23, 2024, offering audiences two opportunities to experience a program that spans the gamut of emotion and expression in classical music.

The concert will open with Haydn's Symphony No. 96, famously known as "The Miracle," a piece celebrated for its lively melodies and the dramatic story of a chandelier that narrowly missed the audience during its premiere. Following this, the prodigious talent of 19-year-old Mozart will be showcased through his Violin Concerto No. 3, a work brimming with youthful energy and brilliance. The evening's soloist, the rising star violinist Geneva Lewis, will make her debut with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, bringing her exceptional skill and passion to the performance.

In the second half, the program takes a dramatic turn with William Walton's Symphony No. 1. This piece is known for its intense emotional depth and the volcanic power it demands from the orchestra, promising to leave the audience spellbound with its passionate and alluring melodies.

This event is not only a celebration of the timeless beauty of classical music but also an opportunity to witness the debut of Geneva Lewis with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and to enjoy the artistry of Nicholas Carter. Whether you are a long-time classical music aficionado or new to the concert hall, this performance promises to be an unforgettable experience.

Tickets are on sale now, and those interested in attending are encouraged to act quickly to secure their seats for either Thursday, November 21, 2024, at 8:00 PM or Saturday, November 23, 2024, at 8:00 PM. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's website.

Haydn + Mozart + Walton

Atlanta Symphony Hall

As the New York Times declares, Emanuel Ax’s performances are “never less than spellbinding.” Experience the power and passion of this modern master live as the seven-time Grammy winner performs Mozart’s fierce and far-reaching Piano Concerto No. 20. In a fitting concert finale honoring former NSO Music Director Leonard Slatkin’s return during his 80th birthday year, Walton’s Symphony No. 1 erupts with energy evolving from fear and despair to strength and triumph.

Leonard Slatkin & Emanuel Ax

Kennedy Center

Selected finalists will perform Walton's Violin Concerto with piano accompaniment. The winner will be performing with the Juilliard Orchestra conducted by Gemma New on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 7:30pm in Alice Tully Hall.

Violin Concerto Competition - Finals

The Juilliard School

October 1931: William Walton takes a huge choir and a giant orchestra, adds a couple of brass bands, and blasts British music sky-high. Belshazzar’s Feast is big, brassy, and utterly outrageous – now add the one and only Sir Bryn Terfel, and you’ve got a seriously impressive celebration of the human voice. Anna Meredith’s Nautilus and Mendelssohn's gorgeous Violin Concerto – with international violin sensation Ning Feng returning as soloist – are the icing on the cake.

Sir Bryn in Belshazzar’s Feast

Shakespeare has long been as inspiration to all who read, study, and perform his works. His exploration of the human condition continues to provide inspiration for artists, writers, dancers, filmmakers, and composers. In fact, there is so much classical music inspired by Shakespeare that we could easily do an entire season on just this theme. This concert will also feel different, with guest actors from the UofU Actor Training Program and SLC’s own Utopia Early Music providing context for the evening of orchestral music inspired by Shakespeare. Prepare yourself to enter another world, one both unexpected, yet eerily familiar, as we feature music inspired by the times and words of the Bard himself.

Shakespeare and the Symphony

University of Utah

### Event Description: Vänskä and Ross - Minnesota Orchestra

**Event Title:** Vänskä and Ross - Minnesota Orchestra

**Date & Time:** 
- Thursday, October 31, 2024
- Saturday, November 2, 2024

**Venue:** 
- Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403

**Duration:** 
- 2 hours, including intermission

**Event Overview:**
Join the Minnesota Orchestra for an evocative evening featuring the compelling interpretations of Conductor Laureate Osmo Vänskä and the dynamic cello performances of Anthony Ross. This concert will explore the profound connections between music and the human spirit, inspired by the poetry of W.B. Yeats and the historical context of the mid-1900s.

**Program:**
- **Donghoon Shin:** *Upon His Ghostly Solitude*
- **William Walton:** *Cello Concerto*
- **Sergei Prokofiev:** *Symphony No. 5*

**Artists:**
- **Osmo Vänskä:** Conductor
- **Anthony Ross:** Cello

**About the Artists:**
- **Osmo Vänskä:** Renowned internationally for his compelling interpretations of standard, contemporary, and Nordic repertoires, Vänskä concluded his 19-year tenure as the Minnesota Orchestra’s music director in 2022. His notable achievements include a Grammy Award-winning Sibelius symphonies cycle and major tours to Cuba, Europe, and South Africa.
- **Anthony Ross:** Principal cellist of the Minnesota Orchestra since 1991, Ross has performed as a soloist with numerous prestigious orchestras. He is celebrated for his powerful performances of both standard and contemporary cello concertos.

**Additional Information:**
- **Tickets:** Available now with package purchases. Individual tickets go on sale July 29.
- **Pre-concert Activities:** Enjoy valet parking, pre-order beverages, and explore helpful tips for your visit.
- **Accessibility Services:** Armless & bariatric chairs, assistive listening devices, large-print programs, noise-canceling headphones, service animals, and wheelchair & accessible seating are available upon request.

**Presented by:** 
- Ameriprise Financial

**Plan Your Visit:**
- **Directions & Parking:** Convenient parking is available at the city-owned and skyway-connected 11th and Marquette Ramp.
- **MinnOrch App:** Download the app to pre-order intermission drinks, scan your ticket for entry, and access exclusive deals.

Prepare for an evening of musical exploration and emotional depth with the Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vänskä, and Anthony Ross. Secure your tickets and plan your visit to ensure a memorable experience.

Vänskä and Ross

Minnesota Orchestra

London Phoenix Orchestra present a programme of English music to open their 2024/25 season. The centrepiece is Elgar’s majestic Symphony No. 1, of which the composer wrote “There is no program beyond a wide experience of human life with a great charity (love) and a massive hope in the future”. Brilliant young cellist Ben Tarlton joins the orchestra for Walton’s magical Cello Concerto. Ethel Smyth’s stirring overture to her most famous opera, The Wreckers.

Autumn Concert

“Within Her Arms is music for my mother, with all my love”. Scored for 15 strings, Anna Clyne’s deeply felt meditation on loss opens the concert. BBC Young Musician String Final winner Jaren Ziegler performs Walton’s turbulent Viola Concerto. Premiered by Paul Hindemith alongside the composer himself, the Concerto was met with great enthusiasm which brought Walton to the forefront of British classical music. Following the interval, promising young conductor Stone Tung leads the Albion Orchestra through Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben. First performed in 1899, the work takes the listener through the journey of a hero’s life, who appears to be Strauss himself.

Albion Orchestra: Walton And Ein Heldenleben

Join the UK’s most popular classical music station for a night of the greatest classical music performed live.

Classic FM presenters host this special concert centred around great British classics. Musical highlights include Vaughan Williams’s majestic The Lark Ascending, part of Elgar’s extraordinary Enigma Variations, and the soaring Spitfire Prelude and Fugue by Walton.

Classic FM Live

It is not unusual for composers to arrange their own chamber music works for larger ensembles. However, the character of the piece often changes fundamentally: William Walton's Sonata for String Orchestra - an arrangement of his String Quartet in A minor - is actually a concerto for string quartet and orchestra, according to the composer Christopher Palmer. Walton does not simply transfer the quartet to the larger ensemble, but plays with the alternation between solo passages reminiscent of the original ensemble and the full tutti sound.

2nd  Symphony Concert

Music and Congress Hall

Regents Opera present a concert with no singers(!). In their tradition of presenting very large works, it doesn’t get much bigger than the Strauss Alpine Symphony! Their lead cellist Alison Holford plays the Walton Cello Concerto, and, as this is in aid of their upcoming Ring Cycle, they include Wagner’s joyous Overture to Act 3 of Lohengrin.

Composer

William Walton

Events

Upcoming events

Feb 9, 2026

The Purcell School Symphony Orchestra · Cadogan Hall

Feb 11, 2026

Pirouettes and pliés · Münchner Rundfunkorchester

Mar 3, 2026

Yo-Yo Ma with the Minnesota Orchestra · Minnesota Orchestra

Mar 10, 2026

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Bruce Liu / Kazuki Yamada · Elbphilharmonie

Mar 12, 2026

Walton’s First Symphony · The Hallé

Past events

Jan 31 - Feb 1, 2026

Masterworks 5: Stolen Melodies · Spokane Symphony - Fox Theater Spokane

Jan 24, 2026

Guest Concert for the 20th anniversary of the Leipzig University Orchestra · MDR Radio Choir

About

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