REVIEW: Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 2 with Nobu
Reading Time: 3 minutesShostakovich Piano Concerto No.2 performed by Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii (simply known as Nobu), conducted by Chinese conductor Xian Zhang.
Category classical
REVIEW: Resonance Orchestra
Reading Time: 2 minutesThere's something quite exciting about sitting in a room and realizing you're watching people at the beginning of their journey. Resonance Orchestra's concert at Duke's Hall captured exactly that feeling. It brought together young musicians and more established performers, creating an evening that felt like a breath of fresh air.
REVIEW: Goldberg Variations Reimagined
Reading Time: 2 minutesAlthough Bach’s Goldberg Variations were written in 1741 for a harpsichord and published to refresh the spirits of music lovers, it is easy to forget how private a piece it was originally meant to be, which made it fair to wonder how it would fare in the hands of a full ensemble on Thursday night. Sinfonia Smith Square under the baton of Robin O’Neill, whose own orchestration of the work was being performed, answered that question by offering a performance so warm and generous that it was a pleasure from beginning to end.
REVIEW: John Dowland: Flow My Teares
Reading Time: 2 minutesAn exquisitely intimate recital in which Laurence Kilsby and Yuli Bayeul’s virtuosity and palpable connection brought Dowland’s melancholy vividly to life. Two chairs and a music stand. At the centre of Smith Square Hall, surrounded by their…
REVIEW: Henry Purcell: Rebellion
Reading Time: 2 minutesDo you like Dungeons and Dragons? Have you ever wanted to feel like you’re in the middle of a Robin Hood reboot? Ever wandered through the halls of Hampton Court Palace pretending to be one of Henry VIII’s six wives? If so, baroque music is for you.
REVIEW: Cuban Baroque
Reading Time: 2 minutesThere is something intriguing and contradictory about Cuban Baroque, presented by Carlos Acosta’s Acosta Danza at Sadler’s Wells.
IN CONVERSATION WITH: Toby Chadd
Reading Time: 4 minutesWe sat down for an exclusive interview with Toby Chadd, the Artistic Director of Sinfonia Smith Square. Sinfonia Smith Square is the coming together of two much-loved organisations: Southbank Sinfonia and St John’s Smith Square.
Stella Chen and ASMF: Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and Mozart’s Symphony No. 39
Reading Time: 2 minutes“Stella Chen’s bright, elegant timbre is luminous and heart-shaking” Opening ASMF’s 2026/27 London season, violinist Stella Chen joined the orchestra for Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 and Caroline Shaw’s _Punctum, with Mozart’s Symphony No. 39…
Review: Brahms’ Requiem
Reading Time: 2 minutesA triumphant celebration of life in spite of grief Johannes Brahms’ A German Requiem, Op. 45, prefaced by Lili Boulanger’s Psalm 24, graced the Bridgewater Hall this weekend. The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra – conducted by Anja Bihlmaier…
REVIEW: Philharmonia’s Season Opening Concert: Santtu and Sol Gabetta
Reading Time: 2 minutesOrchestral concerts are often exciting and the high standard of the Philharmonia is a treat - they did not disappoint at the opening concert for the season: Santtu and Sol Gabetta.