Immerse yourself in an atmospheric journey through music with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's captivating concert series, "Night-Sky-Blue." This enchanting series will unfold over three spellbinding evenings, starting on Thursday, May 8th, and concluding on Saturday, May 10th, 2025. Each performance promises to transport audiences to ethereal realms through a meticulously curated repertoire that includes Debussy's "Clair de lune" orchestrated by Stokowski, Helen Grime's "Trumpet Concerto night-sky-blue" in its Scottish Premiere, Takemitsu's "How Slow the Wind," and Rachmaninov's "Isle of the Dead."

Under the baton of the distinguished guest conductor Nodoka Okisawa, and featuring the world-renowned trumpet soloist Håkan Hardenberger, these concerts are set to be a celebration of musical mastery and emotional depth. Okisawa, known for her dynamic and sensitive conducting, will lead the orchestra through these evocative pieces, showcasing her unique ability to draw profound emotion from the musicians and the music alike. Hardenberger, hailed as the world's greatest classical trumpeter, will bring his unparalleled virtuosity and expressive power to Grime's concerto, promising a performance that will linger in the memory long after the final note has faded.

The concert series will grace three of Scotland's most prestigious venues, starting with the Music Hall in Aberdeen on May 8th, followed by the Usher Hall in Edinburgh on May 9th, and concluding at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on May 10th. Each evening will begin at 7:30 pm, offering audiences the chance to experience the magic of live classical music in these iconic settings.

Tickets are available across a range of prices, with discounts offered for under 18s, under 26s, mature students, unemployed patrons, patrons with disabilities, and groups, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to be part of these unforgettable nights. Booking fees may apply.

Don't miss this opportunity to join the Royal Scottish National Orchestra for "Night-Sky-Blue," a series of concerts that promise to be a highlight of the musical calendar, blending the beauty of classical music with the mystery and majesty of the night sky. Book your tickets now and prepare to be transported by the power of music.

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Night-sky-blue

Music Hall

The Usher Hall

Buchanan Galleries

Full of passion, lyricism, and technical bravura, this concerto became Tchaikovsky’s first work to achieve widespread acclaim this side of the Atlantic. This inspirational program also features Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony, a masterwork recognized for its gorgeous melodies and triumphant conclusion. You may hear the pop of a cork as the concert opens! This will be Dr. David Bowden’s final concert with the THSO prior to his retirement in June 2025.

David's Finale

Indiana State University

For the return of mornings at the Salle Bourgie, this duo of talented musicians has put together a varied program of romantic music, Argentinian tango, and even an original composition by Dominique Beauséjour-Ostiguy.

To both hemispheres

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

An insatiable researcher and performer open to the world, pianist Jean-Baptiste Fonlupt is described as a musician with a strong poetic sense. For his debut in Montreal, he invites us on a great inner journey through three monuments of the repertoire.

Jean-Baptiste Fonlupt, piano

Adolfo Gutiérrez Arenas and Gilles Vonsattel, two musicians pursuing brilliant careers as soloists and chamber musicians, propose a dialogue between the cello and the piano with works inspired by national sentiment.

Adolfo Gutiérrez Arenas, cello & Gilles Vonsattel, piano

Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody, a brilliant showpiece for virtuoso pianist, is probably the most admired of his works. An exercise of both compositional and pianistic prowess, it embodies his late style at its brilliant and witty best and has one of the world’s most irresistible melodies. Moments of Romantic outpourings hurtle towards a typical grandiose conclusion, but at the last moment it wittily becomes a whisper and ends impishly. Although his earlier works had shown flashes of what was to come, the Eroica was Beethoven’s first truly Romantic composition. It opens with two staggering chords that announce to the world the arrival of a new talent, a forceful personality, a man never to be forgotten. From that point on Beethoven was no mere composer – he was a creator of monuments. Strauss’ tone poem is a blend of sonata form and rondo. With Don Juan’s swashbuckling theme and the fountain of semi-quavers that opens the work, it exemplifies his exhilarating orchestral virtuosity.

Romantic Rhapsody

Lighthouse, Poole's Centre for the Arts

composed during his exile in Hollywood, fuses big- band glamour with the songs and sorrows of his homeland, whilst Ravel dreams of a more elegant age; and Anna Clyne’s lyrical, new cello concerto, which critics have described as ‘gorgeous’, is performed by rising star Senja Rummukainen. Expect an emotional evening.

RSNO Season 24-25:Clyne & Rachmaninov: Dance!

Usher Hall

Immerse yourself in an evening of enchanting melodies and dynamic rhythms with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's presentation of "Clyne & Rachmaninov: Dance." This captivating concert series, taking place from Thursday, March 20th to Saturday, March 22nd, 2025, promises to be a celebration of dance-inspired compositions that span the emotional spectrum.

The repertoire for these performances includes Maurice Ravel's "Valses nobles et sentimentales," a piece that reminisces about a bygone era of elegance and grace. The concert will also feature the Scottish Premiere of Anna Clyne's "DANCE for cello and orchestra," a lyrical concerto that has garnered acclaim for its gorgeous melodies, performed by the rising star cellist Senja Rummukainen. The evening culminates with Sergei Rachmaninov's "Symphonic Dances," his final masterpiece that combines the allure of big band glamour with the heartfelt melodies of his Russian homeland.

Under the baton of the award-winning conductor Emilia Hoving, recognized for her sensational debut and international acclaim, the RSNO is set to deliver a performance that will leave audiences moved and inspired. Emilia's dynamic leadership and innovative approach promise to bring fresh energy to these timeless pieces.

The concerts will be held at three prestigious venues across Scotland, starting with the Perth Concert Hall on Thursday, March 20th, 2025, at 7:30 pm, followed by performances at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Each venue offers a unique atmosphere that will enhance the experience of these stirring works.

Tickets are available for purchase, with a range of pricing options to ensure accessibility for all. Special discounts are offered for under 18s, under 26s, mature students, unemployed patrons, patrons with disabilities, and groups, making this a perfect opportunity for music lovers of all ages to enjoy a night of exceptional classical music.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's "Clyne & Rachmaninov: Dance," a concert that promises to be a highlight of the musical season. Book your tickets now and prepare to be swept away by the power of dance-inspired music performed by some of the most talented artists in the classical world.

Clyne & Rachmaninov: Dance!

Perth Concert Hall

Experience the pinnacle of piano performance as the Royal Scottish National Orchestra presents "Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto" featuring the exceptional talents of Jonathan Mamora, winner of the 2023 Scottish International Piano Competition. Under the baton of the renowned conductor Lionel Bringuier, this concert promises an electrifying journey through the grand romantic heights of Rachmaninov's masterpiece, known as the Everest of Piano Concertos.

The concert repertoire also includes Louise Farrenc's powerful "Overture No. 2" and Bartók's vibrant "Concerto for Orchestra," showcasing the orchestra's full spectrum of colors and textures. This musical celebration will take place across three iconic venues:

- Music Hall, Aberdeen on Thursday, 6th March 2025, at 7.30pm
- Usher Hall, Edinburgh on Friday, 7th March 2025, at 7.30pm
- Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow on Saturday, 8th March 2025, at 7.30pm

Ticket prices vary by venue, with discounts available for under 18s, under 26s, mature students, unemployed patrons, patrons with disabilities, and groups. Booking fees may apply.

Don't miss this opportunity to witness a true champion like Jonathan Mamora tackle the Everest of Piano Concertos, supported by the dynamic conducting of Lionel Bringuier and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's rich musical tapestry. Book your tickets now for an unforgettable evening of music that promises to be nothing short of electric.

Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto

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”.’

Hallé Rush Hour - Rachmaninov's Third Symphony

The Bridgewater Hall

The Symphonic Dances is an exhilarating summary of Rachmaninov’s life’s work – rhythmically animated and truly symphonic, nostalgic and sarcastic. He creates a wondrous kaleidoscope of instrumental colours, from the mellow crooning of an alto saxophone to the dry-bones clatter of a xylophone, and with its incisive dance rhythms inspired by folk and jazz the work finally explodes with visceral energy. More akin to a symphony, Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto is a real tour de force of a piece, calling on everything in the violinist’s technical arsenal as well as vast physical and emotional stamina. The wide emotional range of its four-movement structure encompasses brooding, elegiac melancholy with savage, mocking sarcasm before it gives itself up totally to a rhythmic energy and brilliance of colour. Sibelius’ gem of a miniature masterpiece, Valse Triste, portrays a dance of death between a woman and the Grim Reaper, and is both haunting and poignant.

Symphonic Dances

Portsmouth Guildhall

Experience the musical brilliance of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra as guest conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya leads a captivating performance of Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances. This 1940 masterpiece, first recorded by the RPO under Erich Leinsdorf, showcases the orchestra's rich history and exceptional talent. The evening also features the evocative Nights in the Garden of Spain by de Falla, performed by the acclaimed pianist Joyce Yang. The New York Times has praised Yang's performances as vivid and beautiful, promising an enchanting auditory experience. The concert opens with the lyrical yet primal Nhanderú by Brazilian-American composer Clarice Assad, setting the stage for an evening of diverse and compelling musical narratives.

Ravishing Rachmaninov

Eastman Theatre

Rachmaninov's Second Symphony is beloved for its achingly beautiful melodies that melt the heart and marked a personal comeback for the composer after a debilitating crisis of confidence. Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto is a landmark of his dark and restless period, here featuring Anthony Ratinov, lauded for "sporting a pianism at the highest level...with admirable dexterity and with stainless precision" (L'Ape Musicale). Opening the concert: a new work by GRAMMY-nominated composer Anna Clyne.

Rory conducts Rachmaninov

Hult Center for the Performing Arts

Two chords ring out, and Ludwig van Beethoven transforms the face of Western music. Eroica means ‘heroic’, and Beethoven was inspired to write his explosive new symphony by the exploits of Napoleon Bonaparte. ‘If I understood war like I understand music, I would conquer him!’ he declared. Two centuries on, the ‘Eroica’ is the thrilling climax to a concert that positively buzzes with energy and colour – in other words, exactly what you’d expect from this great Hungarian orchestra and its dynamic Italian chief conductor Ricardo Frizza.

Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

Cadogan Hall 

Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto begins with a brief murmuring from the orchestra and the simplest of introductions of the main theme from the piano. A mood of dark, impassioned lyricism prevails throughout which builds with urgent expressiveness before reaching an almost delirious close. With its massive chords, cascading and leaping octaves, high-speed runs and wide-spaced, busily embellished textures, it demands a pianist with strength, dexterity, control, and stamina – and big hands! Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker has charmed audiences over the years with its range of gorgeous music and romantic imagery. There is a wonderfully vivid, pictorial quality to his colourful music. From the elegant Waltz of the Flowers to the witty Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Dance of the Reed Flutes, the score is a feast of wonderful melodies. The music tinkles in the memory like a lost music box – enchanting for young and old alike.

Nutcracker Magic

Lighthouse Theatre Warrnambool

Join the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra for an unforgettable evening of orchestral classics at the brand-new Fareham Live venue. Titled "Passionate Rachmaninov," this first symphonic concert in Fareham will feature the talents of pianist Alim Beisembayev under the baton of conductor Enyi Okpara. The program promises a journey through the sunny landscapes of Italy with Mendelssohn's Fourth Symphony, the deep emotional currents of Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto, the sparkling energy of Rossini's overture to "The Italian Girl in Algiers," and the heartstring-tugging intermezzo from Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana."

Event Details:
- **Date and Time**: Wednesday, 6 November, 7:30 pm
- **Venue**: Fareham Live, Osborn Rd, Fareham, PO16 7DB
- **Ticket Prices**: £20 - £34
- **Featuring**:
  - **Conductor**: Enyi Okpara
  - **Piano**: Alim Beisembayev
- **Works and Composers**:
  - Rossini: The Italian Girl in Algiers Overture
  - Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.2
  - Mascagni: Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana
  - Mendelssohn: Symphony No.4 'Italian’

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the power and passion of live symphonic music. Tickets are available for purchase through Fareham Live's venue, with a different allocation available directly from the box office. For more information on concerts, ticketing, or any other general enquiries, get in touch with the BSO box office, open Monday-Friday from 10 am-5 pm at hellobsorchestra.co.uk or call 01202 669925.

Book now to secure your seat at this must-see event and immerse yourself in the full sensual glory of a live symphonic concert.

Passionate Rachmaninov

Fareham Centre Practice

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.

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Melody without end: Christian Tetzlaff plays Beethoven and Sebastian Weigle conducts Rachmaninov with one of Japan’s finest orchestras.

Christian Tetzlaff is a violinist steeped in the German classical tradition, so it almost goes without saying that his Beethoven has a unique assurance and authority. But it’s thrillingly immediate and alive too: The New York Times described his playing as ‘tight, clean, and free of excess rhetoric’, and his interpretation of Beethoven’s soaring Violin Concerto is a thing of wonder.

Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra of Tokyo

 
The Tallis Scholars perform Rachmaninov’s ravishing Vespers – music of deep passion and endless consolation for an autumn night.

Rachmaninov didn’t only write epic symphonies and glittering concertos – and he loved his Vespers above all his other works. Radiant, impassioned and rooted in a deep and heartfelt faith, they gave their composer ‘an hour of the most complete satisfaction’, bringing profound consolation in the depths of the First World War. In this concert they are interspersed with iconic works by Sir John Tavener whose music looks to the Orthodox traditions of the East.

The Tallis Scholars

Study concert with piano students under Jens Elvekjær

Study concert with piano students

The Studio Hall

DKDM

Copenhagen Phil conducted by Christoph Gedschold

Copenhagen Phil – Sibelius and Rachmaninov

Konservatoriets Koncertsal

The Palestinian-Jewish star pianist Saleem Ashkar in a meeting with Nordic brute force and poetry in the form of Edvard Grieg's piano concerto. The piano concerto is framed by Glinka's overture to the opera  Ruslan & Ludmilla  and Rachmaninov's large-scale Second Symphony. Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider is responsible for the musical direction.

Szeps-Znaider conducts Grieg and Rachmaninov

Tivolis Koncertsal

Rising stars Polish cellist Maciej Kułakowski and Swiss pianist/composer Jean-Sélim Abdelmoula met at the Kronberg Academy in Germany.

Their programme includes, in his 150th anniversary year, Rachmaninov’s gorgeously lyrical cello sonata, one of the most romantic in the repertoire, written in 1901, a year after his beloved Second Piano Concerto.

Newbury Spring Festival

Corn Exchange

In the year marking Rachmaninov’s 150th anniversary it is appropriate to include a screening of the great classic of British post-war cinema, Brief Encounter. This is the film that brought attention to his second Piano Concerto, which is heard throughout the movie and which launched it as the most popular piano concerto of its time.

Brief Encounter

We’re delighted to welcome the Estonian Symphony Orchestra to the Festival. They open tonight’s concert with the hypnotic Benjamin Britten Cantus in Memoriam, written by their fellow countryman Arvo Pärt in 1977.

Estonian Symphony Orchestra

St Nicolas Church

Steven Osborne is one of Britain’s most treasured musicians with an immense depth of musicality and exceptional refinement of expression across diverse repertoire. His numerous awards include The Royal Philharmonic Society Instrumentalist of the Year, two BBC Music Magazine Awards and two Gramophone Awards.

Rachmaninov

Events

Past events

8 - 10 May, 2025

Night-sky-blue · Royal Scottish National Orchestra

May 3, 2025

David's Finale · Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra

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