Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra 2015 - 16 Season Guide by Liverpool Philharmonic

September 2015 - June 2016

Vasily Petrenko Chief Conductor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Box Office 0151 709 3789 www.liverpoolphil.com

Right Members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir Photography ÂŠ Mark McNulty

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is grateful to the following supporters PRINCIPAL FUNDERS

IN-KIND SPONSORS

Thanks to the City of Liverpool for its financial support

TRAVEL PARTNER PRINCIPAL PARTNERS

HOTEL PARTNER

HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNER

MEDIA PARTNER

IN HARMONY LIVERPOOL

Sponsored by

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Liverpool Philharmonic is 175 this year – and that calls for a celebration! We launch our season with a brand new Celebration Overture by Nigel hess – the man behind the music for Ballykissangel and Dangerfield – along with the ultimate roof-raiser: Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. There’s a first taste of Between Worlds, our season-long exploration of all things folk, in Vaughan Williams’s English Folk Song Suite, and then Vasily Petrenko welcomes the phenomenal young Chinese pianist Ji Liu, making his Liverpool debut in the world’s favourite piano concerto.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

*Online/Phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, includes all costs. Standard postage is free. In Person No fees for cash/debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee, cheque payments subject to 70p per order charge.

henry e Rensburg Series

Sunday Afternoon Classics

Thursday 1 October 7.30pm

Sunday 4 October 2.30pm

Songs from Distant Lands

Tchaikovsky The Seasons: September, October, November, December (orchestrated by Sergei Abir) Berio Folk Songs Richard Strauss An Alpine Symphony (premiered October 1915) – Vasily Petrenko conductor Jennifer Johnston mezzo-soprano – Sponsored by

Richard Strauss claimed that he could depict even a knife and fork in music. So when he set out to depict the full majesty of the Bavarian Alps, the results were … well, hear for yourself as, 100 years after its premiere, Vasily Petrenko and a super-sized Orchestra scale the peak of Strauss’s mighty Alpine Symphony. Waterfalls, glaciers, an ear-splitting storm – spectacular isn’t the word! First, though, take an autumn stroll in the Russian countryside with four lovely miniatures by Tchaikovsky, and join Liverpool’s own star mezzo Jennifer Johnston in Berio’s wonderful romp through the world’s folk songs – as you’ve never heard them before.

Alpine Symphony

Tchaikovsky The Seasons: September, October, November, December (orchestrated by Sergei Abir) Canteloube Songs of the Auvergne Richard Strauss An Alpine Symphony (premiered October 1915) – Vasily Petrenko conductor Jennifer Johnston mezzo-soprano

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Jennifer Johnston © Gisela Schenker

–

Out of the lowest depths of the orchestra, murmurs arise, daylight gathers in the brasses, and then, wham! The sun appears in full orchestral blaze. Dawn arrives and so begins music’s most vividly depicted mountainous ascent. One hundred years after its premiere, Vasily Petrenko and a super-sized Orchestra scale the peak of Strauss’s mighty Alpine Symphony. Waterfalls, glaciers, an ear-splitting storm – spectacular isn’t the word. First, though, take an autumn stroll in the Russian countryside with four lovely miniatures by Tchaikovsky, and join Liverpool’s own star mezzo Jennifer Johnston in Canteloube’s ravishing salute to the folk music of his native Auvergne.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

henry e Rensburg Series

The Planets

Thursday 8 October 7.30pm

Vaughan Williams Symphony No.8 Robin Holloway ‘Europa and the Bull’ for Tuba and Orchestra

World Premiere. Commissioned by Liverpool Philharmonic with San Francisco Symphony

Holst Suite, The Planets – Andrew Manze conductor Robin Haggart tuba Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir (Ladies Voices) –

Andrew Manze © Benjamin ealovega

Classic Intro 6.15pm Composer Robin holloway in conversation with BBC Radio Merseyside’s Angela heslop

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

–

Sponsored by

To infinity and beyond. everyone loves the warlike thrills of Mars, and the famous tunes of Jupiter – but holst’s The Planets travels even further, on one of the most beautiful and mysterious voyages an orchestra and chorus can ever take together. For conductor Andrew Manze, it’s the climax of a musical journey that begins with a personal passion - the gloriously quirky eighth Symphony by the 83years-young Vaughan Williams - and takes in the world’s first performance of a brand new showpiece for the Orchestra’s tuba player Robin haggart: a tale of cows, princesses and Greek gods, retold by one of Britain’s most enjoyable living composers.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

–

Post-concert Discussion (Starts 15 minutes after the concert) Conductor Andrew Manze, composer Robin holloway and tuba player Robin haggart answer your questions about tonight’s performance.

Pops

The Carl Davis Collection: Beatles, Bond, ABBA and more… Saturday 10 October 7.30pm

Programme to include: Kander & Ebb New York, New York Carl Davis CBE Scores from the films The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Champions, World at War John Barry Selection from James Bond movies Beatles for Orchestra Yesterday and other best loved songs ABBA (Orch. Carl Davis CBE) Mamma Mia Symphonic Suite

– Carl Davis CBE conductor

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Carl Davis © Trevor Leighton

World Premiere

A programme of music reflecting the life of much-loved conductor Carl Davis. Born in New York, Carl found his musical feet through the lively musicals of the 1940s and 1950s, and then grew his own film music career in the uK from the 1960s. Tonight his classic television and film scores open the concert and then, to crank up the pace, a musical ride through the 1960s and 1970s which will include Yesterday, a Beatles hit celebrating its 50th birthday this year, and the world premiere of Carl’s own Mamma Mia Suite – a symphonic ABBA tribute – a brilliant way to say “thank you for the music”!

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Series

exotic Tales

Thursday 15 & Friday 16 October 7.30pm Ligeti Concert Românesc Fauré Pavane Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto No.1 Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade – Gustavo Gimeno conductor Harriet Krijgh cello –

Harriet Krijgh © Nancy horowitz

Post-concert Discussion Thursday 15 October (Starts 15 minutes after the concert) Conductor Gustavo Gimeno and cellist harriet Krijgh answer your questions about tonight’s performance.

high in the mountains of Transylvania, a shepherd blows his horn – and gypsy fiddles flash around the campfire. In ancient Persia, a nervous bride tells a story without end, conjuring genies, shipwrecks and mythical beasts. And in belle-époque Paris, a poet in grey velvet dreams of a golden age. All that…in music? hearing is believing, as the upand-coming Spanish conductor Gustavo Gimeno makes his Liverpool debut with three fabulous musical tales from Ligeti, Fauré and RimskyKorsakov, and introduces a first Liverpool appearance for Dutch cellist harriet Krijgh in Saint-Saëns’ romantic concerto. “A new star in cellist heaven” is how one German critic described her.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

henry e Rensburg Series

Slavic Sounds

Thursday 22 October 7.30pm

Chopin Piano Concerto No.2 Tchaikovsky Symphony No.3 ‘Polish’ – Vasily Petrenko conductor Ingrid Jacoby piano – Sponsored by

Who needs to borrow folk tunes when you can simply invent your own? Antonín Dvořák distilled the spirit of his native Bohemia into his Slavonic Dances: music as colourful as an embroidered head-dress and as intoxicating as a shot of slivovitz. Tchaikovsky took a Polish dancerhythm and made the happiest possible finale for his happiest possible symphony: Vasily Petrenko continues our celebration of Tchaikovsky, born 175 years ago, with Tchaikovsky’s Third, and you’ll hear exactly why tonight. And Chopin was deeply, devotedly Polish: his Second Piano Concerto is essentially a love song to his teenage sweetheart. Ingrid Jacoby brings out all its poetry tonight.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Ingrid Jacoby © Kate hopewell-Smith

Dvor˘ák Slavonic Dances (selection)

elijah

Psycho 15 Film with Live Orchestra

Sunday Afternoon Classics

Pops

Sunday 25 October 2.30pm

Mendelssohn Elijah – Vasily Petrenko conductor Susan Gritton soprano Patricia Bardon mezzo-soprano Jeremy Ovenden tenor Thomas Oliemans baritone Huddersfield Choral Society

Friday 30 October 7.30pm ‘Is not His word like a fire?’ Felix Mendelssohn may have been a friend of Queen Victoria, but there’s absolutely nothing stuffy about his Elijah. This is religious music with an irresistible difference: a rip-roaring Old Testament epic full of blood, thunder and fabulously hummable tunes. We welcome the huddersfield Choral Society with whom we will also be performing the work in huddersfield. expect them to give it their all as Vasily Petrenko conducts the massed voices, full orchestra, and a starry team of soloists including soprano Susan Gritton, plus the charismatic Dutch baritone Thomas Oliemans as the angry prophet himself.

Anthony Gabriele conductor

Don’t miss the chance to see director Alfred hitchcock’s classic Psycho with a live orchestra. Fifty years on from its release, this cinematic masterpiece comes alive in a big-screen presentation accompanied by a live performance of Bernard herrmann’s most famous spine-tingling score. The score, and in particular the chilling slasher motif, is critical to the film’s power. hitchcock himself remarked that ‘33% of the effect of Psycho was due to the music’. One of the greatest thrillers of all time as you’ve never seen and heard it before, on the eve of halloween. ‘The music throughout the evening was one of doom, buildup, and terror to come, and it never diminished in power or intensity’. examiner

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Psycho

Susan Gritton © Tim Cantrell

Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Liverpool John Moores university Series

Baroque Masters

Saturday 7 November 7.30pm

Handel Suite from Music for the Royal Fireworks Bach Orchestral Suite No.3 Haydn Heiligmesse – Ton Koopman conductor Yetzabel Arias Fernández soprano Bogna Bartosz alto Ariel Hernández Roque tenor Jasper Schweppe baritone Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir – Sponsored by

‘When I think of God, I can’t help writing cheerful music’ said Joseph haydn. Maybe that’s why his Heiligmesse is as lively, as optimistic and as gloriously tuneful as any of his symphonies. Mass settings aren’t meant to be this much fun, and under Ton Koopman – one of the foremost living champions of 18th-century music – it’s hard to imagine a more enjoyable way to hear our superb Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir in full voice. Two 24-carat baroque favourites set the scene – the Suite that gave the world Bach’s Air on the G String, and handel’s exuberant Fireworks Music: knocking British audiences backwards for 266 years and counting!

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

Ton Koopman

Booking fees may apply*

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

13 November, 4 December, 22 January, 19 February, and 11 March.

Concerts begin at 2.30pm – In response to customer feedback, we are delighted to introduce Friday Afternoon concerts on select dates throughout this season as part of our series. It’s a chance to enjoy a full-length orchestral matinée at Liverpool Philharmonic hall. Why not make a day of it and enjoy lunch in our Grand Foyer before the concert, or a late Afternoon Tea after the concert? Find out more about dining options on page 76.

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Series

Petrenko’s Mahler

Thursday 12 November 7.30pm & Friday 13 November 2.30pm Schumann Violin Concerto Mahler Symphony No.6 – Vasily Petrenko conductor Isabelle Faust violin –

Classic Intro 6.15pm Thursday 12 November

Norman Lebrecht, one of the most widelyread commentators on music, culture and politics, regular presenter on BBC Radio 3 and author of Why Mahler? returns to Liverpool to speak about Mahler’s Sixth Symphony.

–

12 November sponsored by

Art imitates life – it isn’t meant to happen the other way round. Mahler’s mighty Sixth Symphony imagines a hero destroyed by three devastating blows of fate. But after he’d filled every bar of this immense symphony with his most heartfelt feelings, that’s exactly what happened to Mahler himself. It’s a musical experience that leaves no listener unmoved – and when Vasily Petrenko conducted the Sixth with the Orchestra in 2011, one critic declared it ‘an emotional roller-coaster’. Back by popular demand, violinist Isabelle Faust sets the mood with the dark poetry of Schumann’s passionate Violin Concerto.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Isabelle Faust

Friday Afternoon Concerts

Julian Rachlin 19, 22, 26, 28 November ‘Rachlin is the real thing, a virtuoso with a heart and a champion’s bearing’ New York Times

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe

Julian Rachlin © Julia Wesely

Liverpool Philharmonic

Julian Rachlin is one of the most exciting and respected violinists of our time and we’re delighted to present him as one of our Artists in Residence this season. For the last 24 years, he has been captivating audiences around the world with his distinctively rich sound, superb musicianship and outstanding interpretations. Always willing to expand his musical horizons, Julian is also praised as a viola player and, most recently, as a conductor. For 12 years, Julian has been leading the internationally renowned “Julian Rachlin & Friends” festival in Dubrovnik, Croatia, a platform for creative and vibrant projects with leading musicians and actors. Besides delighting his audiences with his musical performances, Julian is also receiving recognition as a young philanthropist for his charity work as a uNICeF Goodwill Ambassador and his educational outreach.

As conductor, Julian Rachlin is appearing this season with orchestras including the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice, the Moscow

Virtuosi, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana. Julian Rachlin has recently been appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, a post he will assume in the 2015/16 season.

Born in Lithuania in 1974, Julian moved to Vienna in 1978. he gained international acclaim overnight in 1988 by winning the Young Musician of the Year Award at the eurovision Competition in Amsterdam. he then became the youngest soloist ever to play with the Vienna Philharmonic, making his debut under Riccardo Muti. At the recommendation of Maestro Mariss Jansons, Julian Rachlin has been studying conducting with Sophie Rachlin. Since September 1999, he has been on the violin faculty at the Konservatorium Wien university.

he’ll perform as conductor, soloist and chamber musician in a diverse set of programmes which showcase his many talents.

Sunday Afternoon Classics

henry e Rensburg Series

Russian Classics

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe Liverpool Philharmonic

Thursday 19 November 7.30pm

Shostakovich Violin Concerto No.1 Prokofiev excerpts from Romeo and Juliet – Long Yu conductor Julian Rachlin violin – Sponsored by

When they say that China is set to be a powerhouse of classical music in the 21st century, artists like Long Yu are the reason why. One of China’s most distinguished living conductors, we’re proud to welcome him to Liverpool in a powerful Russian programme. Violinist Julian Rachlin begins his residency with Shostakovich’s gripping First Violin Concerto: a tense, political thriller of a concerto from a composer on the edge. Then Yu lets fly in the thrills, spills and star-crossed passion of Prokofiev’s hugely popular Romeo and Juliet. Tough as steel and as tender as a kiss, it still melts hearts and sets pulses racing today.

Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe Liverpool Philharmonic

Sunday 22 November 2.30pm Li Huanzhi Spring Festival Overture Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto Prokofiev excerpts from Romeo and Juliet – Long Yu conductor Julian Rachlin violin

–

Don’t mention The Apprentice. When, in Stalin’s Russia, Sergei Prokofiev reinvented the story of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, he created one of the best-loved ballet-scores of all time. Tough as steel and as tender as a kiss, it still melts hearts and sets pulses racing today: the perfect showcase for guest conductor Long Yu, and an ideal complement for Julian Rachlin’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s sweet, songful Violin Concerto. And as part of our year-long exploration of the music of China, have a listen to Li huanzhi’s Spring Festival Overture. Fresh, lively and hardly known in the West, we think it’s a popular classic just waiting to be discovered!

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

Booking fees may apply*

Long Yu © P.A.D Studio

Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

henry e Rensburg Series

Mozart and Mendelssohn Thursday 26 November 7.30pm

Mendelssohn Violin Concerto Mozart Symphony No.35 ‘Haffner’ Mendelssohn Symphony No.4 ‘Italian’ – Julian Rachlin violin/director –

Post-concert Discussion (Starts 15 minutes after the concert) Conductor/Violinist Julian Rachlin answers your questions about tonight’s performance.

–

Sponsored by

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe

You can boil an egg in the time it takes to play Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro overture – but that’s all the time it takes to bring up the curtain on the happiest comedy in all music, and for Artist in Residence Julian Rachlin to launch an evening of music that positively dances with joy. Mozart wrote his haffner symphony for a family celebration, and you can practically hear Mendelssohn’s heart leap in his sun-drenched Italian symphony. Julian Rachlin, meanwhile, picks up his violin and stars as both conductor and soloist in Mendelssohn’s hugely-popular Violin Concerto – bittersweet romance and sparkling fun, all rolled up into one irresistibly tuneful masterpiece.

Thursday 3 December 7.30pm & Friday 4 December 2.30pm Humperdinck Hansel and Gretel: three excerpts (Sandman’s Song, Evening Prayer, Dream Pantomime) Prokofiev excerpts from Cinderella Tchaikovsky Sleeping Beauty (Final Act) – Vasily Petrenko conductor –

Sponsored by

Booking fees may apply*

Are you sitting comfortably? Because Vasily Petrenko wants to tell you a story. Deep in a fairytale forest, humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel share the sweetest of dreams. Prokofiev’s Cinderella dances the night away – until the clock strikes twelve. And in the enchanted kingdom of Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty, everyone lives happily – and tunefully – ever after. No-one does Russian music quite like Petrenko, and this chance to hear him conduct the whole of Act 3 of Tchaikovsky’s greatest ballet should deliver some real magic. Three timeless fairytales, drenched in glorious music … it’s the perfect preChristmas treat.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Fairy Tales

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

Vasily Petrenko © Mark McNulty

Mozart Overture, The Marriage of Figaro

Series

Liverpool Philharmonic

Booking fees may apply*

Pops

A hollywood Christmas Saturday 12 December 7.30pm

Programme includes:

Winter Wonderland, Let it Snow, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, The Lady is a Tramp and more! – Timothy Henty conductor Claire Martin OBE singer

There’s a special kind of magic in the air at Christmas – and a special kind of music that captures it. Call it nostalgia, call it festive cheer, but you know it when you feel it, and tonight the Orchestra transforms itself into a seasonal time machine, with star vocalist Claire Martin singing the songs of Christmases gone by – the classics, old and new, which still touch the heart at this most wonderful time of the year. The decorations are up and there’s always a warm welcome at Liverpool Philharmonic hall: so come in, make yourself comfortable, and let us ease you into the holiday spirit.

–

Tickets £18, £24, £31, £36, £43

Claire Martin

Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Special

Spirit of Christmas

Thursday 17 December 7.30pm Saturday 19 - Sunday 20 December 7.30pm Tuesday 22 - Wednesday 23 December 7.30pm John Suchet presenter Ian Tracey conductor Kathryn Tickell Northumbrian pipes Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir

Simon Emery Artistic Director, Youth Ensembles –

Sponsored by

Christmas begins at home, and as we gather our whole wonderful family of musicians for our traditional Christmas concerts we’d like to invite you into our home, Liverpool Philharmonic hall, for an evening of festive music old and new. There’ll be classic carols and seasonal readings from our host – Classic FM’s John Suchet, back by popular demand. Folk star Kathryn Tickell brings the timeless magic of the Northumbrian pipes to the sound of our choruses and full orchestra, and conductor Ian Tracey adds a stocking-full of good cheer. And of course, be ready to join in – because this is a Christmas treat for everyone to enjoy.

–

Tickets £18, £24, £31, £36, £43

Kathryn Tickell © GS Studios

Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Pops

happy Birthday Mr Sinatra Thursday 31 December 7.30pm

Roderick Dunk conductor Gary Williams singer

Well ring-a-ding-ding – ol’ blue eyes is back! And as we see in the New Year, let Roderick Dunk and the full Orchestra whisk you to the Sands hotel in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada for a 100th birthday toast to the Chairman of the Board. Vocalist Gary Williams has been hailed as the closest thing today to hearing Sinatra himself and in this spectacular tribute using Sinatra’s original orchestral arrangements, he’ll sound like a million bucks. You Make Me Feel So Young, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, New York, New York, Night and Day, My Way … it’s just classic after swinging classic. Come fly with us!

–

Tickets £18, £24, £31, £36, £43 Booking fees may apply*

Gary Williams

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Join us in the Music Room for a special pre-show New Year’s eve dinner or post-show hot supper – book in advance to avoid disappointment! For details see page 76.

home Alone! PG Film with Live Orchestra

Saturday 2 January 7.30pm & Sunday 3 January 2.30pm Dirk Brossé conductor Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir

Contains moderate slapstick violence and infrequent moderate language

It isn’t Christmas unless you’ve watched a classic holiday film. But switch off your telly, and put away that DVD. You might have seen Home Alone! before, but you’ve never heard it like this, as we transform Liverpool Philharmonic hall into the city’s most luxurious cinema for a special New Year screening of Macaulay Culkin’s uproarious seasonal comedy – with John Williams’ magical score performed live by the full Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and some members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir. That’s right: every gag, every tumble and every splash of aftershave is accompanied in real time by the ultimate sound system: 70 live musicians. A truly spectacular seasonal treat for the whole family – just make sure not to leave anyone behind!

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 (Children £8) Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Special

Messiah

Saturday 9 January 7pm (please note start time)

Handel Messiah – Matthew Best conductor Susanna Hurrell soprano Patricia Bardon mezzo-soprano Ben Johnson tenor Alastair Miles bass Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir

‘I did think I did see all Heaven before me and the great God Himself.’ even handel couldn’t quite believe the popularity of his Messiah – and nearly three centuries on, it’s more than just one of the greatest of all choral works: it’s a national institution. everyone knows the tunes – Ev’ry Valley, For Unto Us a Boy is Born, The Trumpet Shall Sound, not forgetting the most famous of them all, Hallelujah! As a singer himself, conductor Matthew Best knows Messiah inside out; he’ll bring a special insight and understanding to our traditional annual performance of a masterpiece that still sounds newly minted.

–

Tickets £18, £24, £31, £36, £43 Booking fees may apply*

Ben Johnson ©Chris Gloag

Pops

henry e Rensburg Series

Symphonie Fantastique Thursday 14 January 7.30pm

Christopher Rouse Bump Prokofiev Violin Concerto No.1 Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique – Joshua Weilerstein conductor Ning Feng violin – Sponsored by

Imagine a severed head, a glittering waltz and a satanic orgy, all conjured up by a huge orchestra with the volume turned up to eleven. Sounds…fantastic? Welcome to Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique, a delirious psychedelic extravaganza composed by an obsessive young genius in opium-fuelled overdrive, and the jaw-dropping climax to guest conductor Joshua Weilerstein’s concert tonight. It’s an evening that bursts with colour, first in Christopher Rouse’s ‘nightmare konga’ Bump, then in Prokofiev’s fairy-tale First Violin Concerto, performed by the star of the Orchestra’s 2014 China tour, Ning Feng. The musicians of the Orchestra loved his playing, and you will too.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

Ning Feng © Felix Broede

Booking fees may apply*

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Series

Petrenko’s Shostakovich Thursday 21 January 7.30pm & Friday 22 January 2.30pm

Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2 Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.1 Khachaturian Gayane Suite No.3 – Vasily Petrenko conductor Boris Giltburg piano –

Sponsored by

The Rushworth Foundation

“Sensational”. “Delectable”. “Smashing and spectacular”. Critics are running out of adjectives for the young Russian piano virtuoso Boris Giltburg – but if you’ve heard him performing with the Orchestra in previous seasons, you won’t need any further recommendation. And when he teams up with Vasily Petrenko in Russian music, something very special happens. Don’t miss this chance to hear this dynamic duo in both of Shostakovich’s piano concertos: the cheerful, romantic Second and the brilliantly witty First. And stand back as Petrenko lights two more Russian firecrackers: Prokofiev’s zingy little Classical Symphony, and Khachaturian’s high-kicking balletscore.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Boris Giltburg © Sasha Gusov

Prokofiev Classical Symphony

henry e Rensburg Series

Dvořák’s eighth

Thursday 28 January 7.30pm

Bartók Dance Suite Schumann Cello Concerto No.1 Dvor˘ák Symphony No.8 – Vasily Petrenko conductor Alisa Weilerstein cello –

Alisa Weilerstein © Decca/harald hoffmann

Sponsored by

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Like Dvořák’s Symphony from the New World? Now discover his symphony from the old one! Dvořák simply couldn’t stop writing good tunes, and his eighth Symphony begins with a hymn and ends with an all-out kneesup. In between, you’ll hear birdsong, thunder, village bands and graceful waltzes: folk music turned to symphonic gold, while Bartók laces hungarian folksong with paprika in his fiery Dance Suite. Vasily Petrenko leads the dance tonight, and by way of contrast, introduces the Liverpool debut of cellist Alisa Weilerstein. ‘She performs with soulful expression and physical abandon’ says the New York Times: Schumann’s heartfelt concerto is the perfect way to discover this remarkable young artist.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Sunday Afternoon Classics

Dances and Variations Sunday 31 January 2.30pm

Bartók Dance Suite Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn Dvor˘ák Symphony No.8 – Vasily Petrenko conductor

Like Dvořák’s Symphony from the New World? Now discover his symphony from the old one! Dvořák simply couldn’t stop writing good tunes, and his eighth Symphony begins with a hymn and ends with an all-out kneesup. In between, you’ll hear birdsong, thunder, village bands and graceful waltzes; folk music turned to symphonic gold, while Bartók gives hungarian folksong a generous dash of paprika in his fiery Dance Suite. The Orchestra goes back a long way with this music: Vasily Petrenko supercharges it tonight, and by way of contrast, matches it with the noble Haydn Variations by Dvořák’s old friend (and Bartók’s early inspiration) Johannes Brahms.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Liverpool John Moores university Series

Carmina Burana

Saturday 6 February 7.30pm

Grieg Lyric Suite with Songs Orff Carmina Burana – Eivind Gullberg Jensen conductor Mari Eriksmoen soprano Gert Henning-Jensen tenor Audun Iversen baritone Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir –

Eivind Gullberg Jensen © Paul Bernhard

Sponsored by

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Love is…profane. Though in the case of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, that’s putting it mildly. There’s nothing – repeat, nothing – sacred about this 60minute choral blow-out. Sex, drink, roasted swans and catchy tunes; if you can think of a forbidden pleasure, it’s probably in there. Orff didn’t hold back, and nor will our superb Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir. It’s the climax of this shamelessly enjoyable concert from guest conductor eivind Gullberg Jensen, and a startling contrast to the gentle sequence of songs for soprano and orchestra and miniatures from his native Norway with which he warms things up.

–

Tickets £18, £24, £31, £36, £43 Booking fees may apply*

Esther Yoo © Marco Borggreve

henry e Rensburg Series

Bruckner’s Ninth

Thursday 11 February 7.30pm

Mozart Violin Concerto No.5 ‘Turkish’ Bruckner Symphony No.9 – Sir Andrew Davis conductor Esther Yoo violin – Sponsored by

Love is … sacred. But for Anton Bruckner, it was still something for which you had to fight. his Ninth Symphony is sometimes described as a “cathedral in sound” – and it’s got grandeur and majesty to spare. But that’s not the whole story. Bruckner’s Ninth is more than just a symphony. It’s one man’s final struggle to find peace, expressed in music of heartbreaking beauty and soul-shaking power. Sir Andrew Davis, Liverpool Philharmonic’s recently appointed Conductor emeritus, will fill every bar with a lifetime’s understanding and experience. Violinist esther Yoo, meanwhile, isn’t much older than Mozart was when he wrote his delightful Turkish concerto – just to remind us that you don’t have to be grand to be profound!

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Pops

Sixties’ Valentine: Love Songs from the 60s

Saturday 13 February 2.30pm & 7.30pm You don’t have to be of a certain age to feel the love tonight, as maestro Richard Balcombe, a team of West end stars and the silken strings of the Orchestra deliver a very special Valentine’s gift from the decade that defined pop. Tom Jones, Cilla Black, Petula Clark and The Beach Boys all knew how to tell a love story, and songs as timeless as Downtown, Alfie, It’s Not Unusual, Something Stupid, Stranger on the Shore and God Only Knows are always there to remind you. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps … you’ll fall in love all over again!

–

Tickets £18, £24, £31, £36, £43 Booking fees may apply*

k Graham Bickley

enjoy a Valentine’s Afternoon Tea or a pre-show Sixties Supper. See page 76 for details.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Simon Trpc˘eski / Vasily Petrenko© Mark McNulty

Richard Balcombe conductor Graham Bickley, Mary Carewe, Alison Jiear and Abbie Osmon singers

La Mer

Series

henry e Rensburg Series

Thursday 18 February 7.30pm & Friday 19 February 2.30pm Timothy Jackson Six Lancashire Folksong Settings World Premiere

Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.1 Ravel Mother Goose Suite Debussy La Mer – Vasily Petrenko conductor Simon Trpc˘eski piano –

Post-concert Discussion Thursday 18 February (Starts 15 minutes after the concert)

There’s no denying it. Take Vasily Petrenko, the Orchestra and the fabulous Macedonian pianist Simon Trpčeski, add Russian music – and sparks will fly. That’s reason enough not to miss their high-voltage take on Prokofiev’s irreverent First Piano Concerto, but the treats don’t stop there, as Petrenko and the Orchestra lose themselves in Ravel’s dream fairytale and plunge into the sparkling waves of Debussy’s La Mer. And proof that inspiration doesn’t have to come from long ago and far away, with the world premiere of Six Lancashire Folksong Settings: colourful musical tales of Rawtenstall and Pendle, retold by the Orchestra’s very own Principal horn player, Timothy Jackson.

Magical Mozart

Thursday 25 February 7.30pm

Beethoven Overture, Egmont Mozart Piano Concerto No.20 in D minor Brahms Symphony No.4 – Lahav Shani conductor/piano –

Sponsored by

Brahms’ Fourth Symphony begins with a sigh and ends with a tempest. It might have been his last symphony, but Brahms wasn’t going ‘gently into that good night,’ and guest conductor Lahav Shani will bring everything he has to a musical tragedy of Shakespearean power. First, though, he makes like Amadeus himself and takes to the keyboard in Mozart’s famous 20th Piano Concerto (heard too on the soundtrack to the film!). To get things off to a truly heroic start, he opens with the Egmont overture – a stirring musical drama of struggle and liberation by the composer Brahms revered: Ludwig van Beethoven.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

–

Booking fees may apply*

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Lahav Shani

Conductor Vasily Petrenko, composer and Prinicipal horn Timothy Jackson and pianist Simon Trpčeski answer your questions about tonight’s performance.

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Sunday Afternoon Classics

Sound the Trumpet!

Wagner Siegfried Idyll Haydn Trumpet Concerto Brahms Symphony No.4 – Lahav Shani conductor Tine Thing Helseth trumpet

Perhaps the world’s most romantic birthday present, Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll was written as a gift to his wife Cosima, and first performed by an ensemble of musicians on the staircase of the Wagner’s home on Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on her birthday morning. Brahms’ Fourth Symphony begins with a sigh and ends with a tempest: guest conductor Lahav Shani will pour everything he has into a musical tragedy of Shakespearean power. In between, there’s a welcome return for a real favourite with Liverpool audiences – the brilliant young Norwegian trumpeter Tine Thing helseth, bringing her trademark sparkle to haydn’s playful concerto.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Tine Thing Helseth © Colin Bell/Warner Classics

Sunday 28 February 2.30pm

henry e Rensburg Series

Lindberg conducts Nielsen Thursday 3 March 7.30pm

Bernstein ‘On the Waterfront’, Suite Christian Lindberg Concerto for Wind and Brass World Premiere Liverpool Philharmonic 175th Anniversary Commision

Nielsen Symphony No.5 – Christian Lindberg conductor – Sponsored by

Those twentieth century blues … For Carl Nielsen, music was life. So, confronted with the aftermath of the Great War, he met the challenge head on. his Fifth Symphony is nothing less than a struggle for existence itself, told in music of volcanic power – one of those pieces that everyone should hear before they die. It’s a gripping finish to a concert that begins with Leonard Bernstein’s musical portrayal of one man’s battle for justice on the mean streets of 50s New York – and which features a brand new work, written specially for the wind and brass of the Orchestra by tonight’s conductor, the inimitable (and inspirational) Christian Lindberg. Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Christian Lindberg © Mats Bäcker

–

Series

einaudi World Premiere

Thursday 10 March 7.30pm & Friday 11 March 2.30pm Respighi Church Windows Einaudi Piano Concerto

World Premiere Liverpool Philharmonic 175th Anniversary Commission

Einaudi Wetlands UK Premiere

Ludovico Einaudi © Cesare Cicardini

Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story – Damian Iorio conductor Ji Liu piano

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Pianist, composer and musical poet, Ludovico einaudi is quite simply one of the world’s most popular living composers, whose atmospheric, uniquely beautiful sound-world has made his albums some of the bestselling classical recordings of our time. So we’re thrilled to give the first performance anywhere in the world of his first full-scale Piano Concerto. Guest conductor Damian Iorio brings all his operatic flair to Respighi’s glowing Church Windows and Bernstein’s West Side Story dances – pieces specially chosen to complement einaudi’s inspiration. And there’s a first chance to hear einaudi’s Wetlands live in the uK: a magical bonus, in what’s likely to be one of the most talked-about concerts this year.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

The Unthanks 19 March

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe

Liverpool Philharmonic

‘If there was such a thing still as having a favourite band like in the old days, I’d say they were my favourite band.’ Paul Morley, music journalist

You might find The unthanks singing in a Tyneside folk club one night, and playing to 2000 Londoners the next, having performed to a primary school in the afternoon. You might find them collaborating with Adrian utley (Portishead) one moment, and writing the score to an archive film about shipyards the next. Or visiting Africa with Damon Albarn, Flea and Joan As Policewoman and then presenting a TV programme for BBC4 about traditional dance. Running singing sessions in the back of a pub on a Monday before heading off to tour America or Australia on the Tuesday. Signing licensing deals with eMI while continuing to record vocals in broom cupboards under the stairs. Spending 9-5 managing their own careers without agents or labels, and heading down the studio in the evening to write scores for a project with a symphony orchestra. Collaborating with Orbital while championing songs from the folk club floor singers of the North east and re-presenting them to anyone who wants to listen. You’ll find them played by the folk show on BBC Radio 2, but equally by cutting edge BBC6 Music, Radio 3 and Radio 1 DJs. You might find them on the cover of a folk magazine like fRoots or in the pages of NMe. Definable only by their restless eccentricity, there are no easy one-

liners to capture who or what The unthanks are, or much point in guessing what they’ll do next.

There is a socially conscious heart to much of The unthanks’ work. The unthanks see folk music less as a style of music and more as a oral history that offers perspective on our own time. Their approach to storytelling straddles the complex relationship between modernism and learning from the past.

Nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and the only British folk representation in The Guardian’s and uncut’s best albums of last decade (worldwide, all genres), The unthanks is a family affair for Tyneside sisters Rachel and Becky unthank, with Rachel married to pianist, producer, arranger and composer, Adrian McNally.

Their residency will see The unthanks getting involved with various community and children’s projects, before their symphonic adventure unfolds. Performing alongside the Orchestra, the unthanks will prove once again that the ‘common folk song’ has all the emotional resonance and musical sophistication of the ‘art song’.

Liverpool John Moores university Series

Symphonic Adventure Saturday 19 March 7.30pm

Symphonic Adventure New Cycle of Folk Songs for The Unthanks and Orchestra World Premiere Liverpool Philharmonic 175th Anniversary Commission

– Clark Rundell conductor The Unthanks –

Post-concert Discussion (Starts 15 minutes after the concert) Conductor Clark Rundell and The unthanks answer your questions about tonight’s performance.

–

Sponsored by

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe Liverpool Philharmonic

“It’s quite a rare thing now. They’ve really got everything you could want from music. And I’m very fussy.” Robert Wyatt

If you think that folk music is low culture, The unthanks want you to think again – there’s nothing common about the quality and beauty of this music. Well known for their flights of fancy, Mercury Prize-nominated The unthanks join the Orchestra to premiere Symphonic Adventure – a specially commissioned song cycle. Fronted by the timeless storytelling of Tyneside folk singers Rachel and Becky unthank, and with pianist and composer Adrian McNally, The unthanks will showcase the beauty of folk songs - especially when supported by all the colours of a full symphony orchestra.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Nathalie Stutzmann 23 January, 23 March ‘Nathalie is the real thing. So much love, intensity and sheer technique. We need more conductors like her’.

Sir Simon Rattle, December 2012

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe Liverpool Philharmonic

Nathalie Stutzmann first performed with the Orchestra in January 2015, giving a performance of handel’s Messiah that was a revelation for both performers and audience members alike. She is considered to be one of the most outstanding musical personalities of our time, with parallel careers as both contralto and orchestral conductor. her approach – at once free and rigorous – her knowledge of phrasing and the emotional intensity of her performances has led to huge appreciation by both the audiences she entertains, as well as the orchestras she leads.

She sings regularly with the world’s greatest conductors and orchestras and is hugely acclaimed for her performances of Mahler. She’s also a highly-praised recitalist, performing all over the world with the Swedish pianist Inger Södergren, with whom she has recorded several song cycles by Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Poulenc and Chausson among others.

The model of a complete musician, Nathalie Stutzmann started her studies at a very young age in piano, bassoon, chamber music and conducting. In addition to her intense activity as a singer, she devotes part of her career to her commitments as a conductor.

having studied conducting with the legendary Finnish teacher Jorma Panula and mentored by Seiji Ozawa and Simon Rattle, Nathalie Stutzmann founded her own chamber orchestra, Orfeo 55 in 2009. The orchestra’s permanent home is at the Arsenal in Metz, France, where Nathalie Stutzmann is Artist in Residence. Decorated as “Chevalier des Arts et Lettres” and “Chevalier dans l’Ordre National du Mérite” by the French state, she also gives masterclasses around the world and is professor of singing at the haute ecole de Musique de Genève.

During her residency, she’ll conduct Bach’s great St Matthew Passion and sing Schubert’s Winterreise in recital on 23 January.

Special

Bach’s St Matthew Passion Wednesday 23 March 7pm (please note start time)

Bach St Matthew Passion – Nathalie Stutzmann conductor John Mark Ainsley tenor (evangelist) Christopher Purves baritone (Jesus) Emöke Barath soprano Lidija Jovanovic alto Julien Behr tenor Leon Košavi´ c baritone Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe Liverpool Philharmonic

Filled with emotion, a survivor tells his tale. Other voices tell their stories, the chorus becomes an angry crowd, and as he sings of his friend’s betrayal and killing, the ancient tragedy comes startlingly alive. This is Bach’s St Matthew Passion, and sacred music as you’ve never heard it. After her acclaimed debut conducting handel’s Messiah last season, Nathalie Stutzmann returns to head a worldclass team of soloists in this easter-tide performance of one of the greatest choral works. Join us to experience one of western music’s most powerful – and transforming - experiences.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

Nathalie Stutzmann © Simon Fowler

Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Series

Viennese Masters Thursday 31 March & Friday 1 April 7.30pm

Haydn Symphony No.96 ‘Miracle’ Beethoven Piano Concerto No.3 Brahms Symphony No.1 – Vasily Petrenko conductor Fazıl Say piano

They called it “Beethoven’s Tenth” – and Brahms spent ten years writing his First Symphony. The result is one of those pieces that you just have to experience live – an epic voyage from tragedy to triumph crowned with a once-in-a-lifetime tune worthy of Ludwig himself. For Vasily Petrenko, it’s more than worthy to stand alongside Beethoven’s darkest, most personal piano concerto, performed tonight by a soloist of unique authority and insight, the great Turkish pianist Fazıl Say. And to kick things off, what better choice than one of the symphonies that Beethoven’s teacher haydn wrote specially to delight the British public: a little miracle of energy, imagination and wit?

–

Fazıl Say © Marco Borggreve

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Booking fees may apply*

henry e Rensburg Series

Northern Dreams Thursday 7 April 7.30pm

Hugo Alfvén Swedish Rhapsody No.1 ‘Midsommarvaka’ (Midsummer Vigil) Barber Violin Concerto Sibelius Symphony No.2 – Vasily Petrenko conductor Tai Murray violin –

Post-concert Discussion (Starts 15 minutes after the concert) Conductor Vasily Petrenko and violinist Tai Murray answer your questions about tonight’s performance.

–

Tai Murray © Julia Wesely

Sponsored by

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Sibelius thought of his Second Symphony as a great river flowing to the sea. Others have heard a musical portrait of a nation waking to freedom. But from pastoral beginning to soulstirring finish, it’s all of this and much, much more; music of brooding power, spring-like freshness and truly epic grandeur. Vasily Petrenko takes us on Sibelius’s journey today, and introduces the shamelessly enjoyable Swedish Rhapsody by Sibelius’s contemporary hugo Alfvén – we think you’ll recognise the tunes! After her stunning last-minute substitution for Vadim Repin in 2014, violinist Tai Murray needs no introduction in Liverpool: this chance to hear her in Barber’s soaring Violin Concerto practically recommends itself.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Sunday Afternoon Classics

Bruch’s Violin Concerto Sunday 10 April 2.30pm

Hugo Alfvén Swedish Rhapsody No.1 ‘Midsommarvaka’ (Midsummer Vigil) Bruch Violin Concerto No.1 Sibelius Symphony No.2 – Vasily Petrenko conductor Tai Murray violin

Sibelius thought of his Second Symphony as a mighty river flowing to the sea. Others have heard a musical portrait of a nation waking to freedom. But from pastoral beginning to soulstirring finish, it’s all of this and much, much more; music of brooding power, spring-like freshness and truly epic grandeur. Vasily Petrenko takes us on Sibelius’s journey today, and introduces the shamelessly enjoyable Swedish Rhapsody by Sibelius’s contemporary hugo Alfvén – we think you’ll recognise the tunes! After her stunning last-minute substitution for Vadim Repin in 2014, violinist Tai Murray needs no introduction in Liverpool: this chance to hear her in everyone’s favourite violin concerto is its own recommendation.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

Nobuyuki Tsujii

Booking fees may apply*

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

emperor

Series

henry e Rensburg Series

Rhapsody

Thursday 21 & Friday 22 April 7.30pm Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture Beethoven Piano Concerto No.5 ‘Emperor’ Franck Le Chasseur Maudit (The Accursed huntsman) Schumann Symphony No.4 – Darrell Ang conductor Nobuyuki Tsujii piano – Sponsored by

Thursday 28 April 7.30pm

What’s your definition of Romantic? A huntsman galloping through a stormy night? A revolutionary warrior storming the barricades of freedom? Or a composer slipping a quiet loveletter into the pages of a tragic symphony? Tonight, guest conductor Darrell Ang explores four different shades of romance, from César Franck’s spooky musical spine-chiller to Schumann’s most personal symphony – with the phenomenal Nobuyuki Tsujii (who wooed the orchestra and audiences alike on the Orchestra’s 2015 Japan tour) bringing his own unforgettable blend of brilliance and poetry to Beethoven’s mighty ‘emperor’ concerto. If you heard his Liverpool debut last season… well, say no more. Berlioz’ barnstorming overture sets things spinning in a blaze of Italian sunshine.

Fantasy, humour, dazzling fireworks and a tune to die for… there’s a good reason why Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is quite simply one of the most popular piano works ever written. But every pianist makes it their own, and tonight we’re thrilled to welcome the teenage Chinese virtuoso Niu Niu, making his Liverpool debut in the grandest possible style. That’s the glowing heart of a deliriously romantic programme that sweeps from the filmscore gorgeousness of Szymanowski’s Concert Overture to the tender love songs and gypsy fiddles of Brahms’s Piano Quartet. Played by a full orchestra under Jacek Kaspszyk making a much awaited return visit to Liverpool, it might just be the greatest symphony Brahms never wrote!

Szymanowski Concert Overture, Op.12 Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Brahms Piano Quartet in G minor (orchestrated by Schoenberg) – Jacek Kaspszyk conductor Niu Niu piano – Sponsored by

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

–

Booking fees may apply*

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

Niu Niu

Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

henry e Rensburg Series

Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia

Catrin Finch 10, 12, 13 May / 9, 10 June

Thursday 5 May 7.30pm

Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis Symphony No.4 Linden Lea for tenor and orchestra Symphony No.3 ‘Pastoral’ – Andrew Manze conductor Allan Clayton tenor –

Classic Intro – 6.15pm Conductor Andrew Manze in conversation with BBC Radio Merseyside’s Angela heslop.

–

Sponsored by

Vaughan Williams is the sound of england – but which england? Ancient cathedrals and green fields, or an industrial nation steeling itself for war? Tonight, Andrew Manze takes a personal journey through the many worlds of this very British master. Beginning in the deep calm of the Tallis Fantasia, he unleashes the mechanical hell of the shattering Fourth Symphony, joins tenor Allan Clayton in the rural idyll of Linden Lea and brings out the sadness and shadows behind the tranquil surface of the lovely Pastoral Symphony – Vaughan Williams’ haunted memorial to the friends he lost in the First World War. Still waters run deep, and no conductor loves this music more than Andrew Manze.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Catrin Finch

Allan Clayton

Booking fees may apply*

Catrin Finch astounded Liverpool audiences in 2013 when she performed in recital as part of Bryn Terfel’s period as Artist in Residence and subsequently in 2014 when she came back to perform with Senegalese kora player Seckou Keita.

She’s one of the most accomplished harpists of her generation. Since her inspiration to learn the harp at the age of five, she has been delighting audiences with her performances in the uK and worldwide. her rise to prominence started almost immediately. From achieving the highest mark in the uK for her Grade 8 exam at the tender age of nine, she went on to study at The Purcell School and the Royal Academy of Music, and in 2000-04, she had the honour of reviving the ancient tradition of Royal harpist to h.R.h, the Prince of Wales, last held in 1873.

Since then, her musical journey has blossomed, appearing with the world’s top orchestras around the world and recording for most of the major international recording companies. Since her first recording

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

of Bach’s Goldberg Variations for the Deutsche Grammophon label in 2007, she has recorded three further albums for the label including the best-selling “Blessing”, which featured her own composition Celtic Concerto, and works by multi-award winning composer John Rutter.

2015 saw the release of Catrin’s new self-composed album entitled Tides, on her new label Acapela. This new release marks the first time Catrin’s own compositions have appeared as a body of work on stage and on record. Catrin will perform both as soloist with the Orchestra and in recital at St George’s hall Concert Room.

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe Liverpool Philharmonic

Series

Flute and harp

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe Liverpool Philharmonic

Thursday 12 & Friday 13 May 7.30pm Rossini Overture, Il Signor Bruschino Mozart Concerto for Flute and Harp Mendelssohn Symphony No.3 ‘Scottish’ – Andrew Manze conductor Catrin Finch harp Cormac Henry flute

On a summer evening in edinburgh, amidst the ruins of holyrood Castle, Felix Mendelssohn heard the first notes of his Scottish symphony. Autumn mists, skirling horns, highland reels: they’re all in the music. But there’s more to the Scottish symphony than just glorious scenery, and conductor Andrew Manze will bring out the human drama behind its wonderfully tuneful surface. Mozart’s Flute and harp Concerto, meanwhile, is simply out to charm you, though if anyone can bring out its hidden depths, Artist in Residence Catrin Finch can – together with the Orchestra’s own Principal Flute Cormac henry. The deliciously droll overture to Rossini’s youthful comedy should set things up nicely!

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Liverpool John Moores university Series

henry e Rensburg Series

Saturday 21 May 7.30pm

Thursday 26 May 7.30pm

Songs of Lamentation

Richard Strauss First Interlude from Intermezzo Shostakovich From Jewish Folk Poetry Mahler Das Klagende Lied (revised version)

The performance of Das Klagende Lied has been made possible by the financial support from Robin Bloxsidge and Nick Riddle.

– Vasily Petrenko conductor Olga Mykytenko soprano Jennifer Johnston mezzo-soprano Alexei Kosarev tenor Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir – Sponsored by

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

‘Minstrel, oh minstrel, what strange, sad stories will be told…’ A wanderer in the forest carves a flute from a bone - but nothing prepares him for the song it will sing. Nothing quite prepares you for Das Klagende Lied (Song of Lamentation), either: Gustav Mahler’s first masterpiece is a grand, gothic choral folk-tale filled with woodland magic, haunting melodies and – of course – heaven-storming climaxes. If you love Mahler’s symphonies, you’ve simply got to hear this; a fabulous contrast to the pitch-black humour and searing passion of Shostakovich’s folkinspired song-cycle cycle for three solo voices and orchestra. It’s all a long, dark way from the après-ski fun of Richard Strauss’s Intermezzo.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Daphnis et Chloé

Messiaen Les Offrandres Oubliées Chausson Poème Ravel Tzigane Qigang Chen Luan Tan (Variations for Orchestra)

UK Premiere. Commissioned by Liverpool Philharmonic, hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and Radio France

Ravel Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No.2 – Alexandre Bloch conductor Nemanja Radulovi´ c violin – Sponsored by

When Olivier Messiaen heard music, he saw luminous bursts of colour. And this concert is positively drenched in colour – from Messiaen’s own sacred stillness and ecstatic joy, to a ravishing new work by his Chinese-born pupil Qigang Chen, music director of the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. Violinist Nemanja Radulović has been called “a firework”: hear him paint the impressionist tones of Chausson’s Poème, and then leave a trail of sparks through Ravel’s glittering Tzigane. Finally, the award-winning French conductor Alexandre Bloch and the full Orchestra light up the dawn sky in Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé: surely the most radiant sunrise ever painted in music.

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Series

The Rite of Spring

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe Liverpool Philharmonic

Thursday 9 & Friday 10 June 7.30pm Scriabin Poem of Ecstasy Glière Harp Concerto Stravinsky The Rite of Spring – Vasily Petrenko conductor Catrin Finch harp –

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

–

Tickets £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 Booking fees may apply*

Catrin Finch

Nemanja Radulovic © Marie Staggat/DG

Post-concert Discussion Thursday 9 June (Starts 15 minutes after the concert) Conductor Vasily Petrenko and harpist Catrin Finch answer your questions about tonight’s performance.

When Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring premiered in Paris in May 1913, it started a riot. We’re not expecting any aggro tonight – though a century on, every performance of The Rite is still an adventure. expect spine-tingling thrills and electrifying playing as Vasily Petrenko and the Orchestra tackle the 20th century’s most explosive masterpiece. It’s the apocalyptic climax to a concert that begins with Scriabin’s roof-raising fantasy of cosmic love, and features our artist in residence Catrin Finch in a showcase for her virtuosity on the harp, in Glière’s sparkling concerto.

Behind the Music at Liverpool Philharmonic

Classic Intros Our free pre-concert talks and interviews with visiting artists are a great way to get more out of the performance.

The talks are free to all ticket holders, start at 6.15pm and last about 30 minutes.

Thursday 8 October / Page 15

Composer Robin holloway whose piece, ‘Europa and the Bull’ for Tuba and Orchestra is premiered tonight in conversation with Angela heslop from BBC Radio Merseyside. – Thursday 12 November / Page 21

Norman Lebrecht, one of the most widely-read commentators on music, culture and politics, regular presenter on BBC Radio 3 and author of Why Mahler? returns to Liverpool to speak about Mahler’s Sixth Symphony. – Thursday 5 May / Page 48

Conductor Andrew Manze in conversation with Angela heslop from BBC Radio Merseyside.

Vasily Petrenko and Tim Lihoreau Discover the Classics © Mark McNulty

Post-concert Discussions We’re delighted to continue our series of very popular post-concert discussions this season. This is your chance to ask questions of worldfamous artists and hear their perspectives on music.

The events are free to all ticket holders and sessions begin in the Grand Foyer 15 minutes after the concert ends.

Discover the Classics

Sponsored by

Tickets £15 per session or £75 for all 6 Students/claimants £10 per session or £50 for all 6

Thursday 8 October / Page 15 Conductor Andrew Manze, composer Robin holloway and tuba player Robin haggart. – Thursday 15 October / Page 17 Conductor Gustavo Gimeno and cellist harriet Krijgh. – Thursday 26 November / Page 24 Conductor/Violinist and Artist in Residence, Julian Rachlin. – Thursday 18 February / Page 37 Composer/Principal horn player Timothy Jackson, conductor Vasily Petrenko and pianist Simon Trpčeski. – Saturday 19 March / Page 42 Artists in Residence The unthanks and conductor Clark Rundell. – Thursday 7 April / Page 45 Violinist Tai Murray and Chief Conductor Vasily Petrenko. – Thursday 9 June / Page 51 harpist and Artist in Residence Catrin Finch and Chief Conductor Vasily Petrenko.

Join us to discover the musical, social and historical stories behind some of the superb music, composers and artists in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2015-16 season.

hosted by Classic FM Creative Director and Breakfast Show host, Tim Lihoreau, and Jane Jones, presenter of Classic FM’s The Full Works concerts and the Weekend Breakfast Show, Discover the Classics sessions feature commentary by our host presenter, with added insight from Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra musicians, conductors and guest artists, plus opportunities for questions, discussion and fun, lively debate. Sessions take place on Saturdays from 11am to 1pm in the Music Room at Liverpool Philharmonic hall. Why not enjoy lunch or afternoon tea in our Grand Foyer after the sessions? You can book a table by ringing our box office on 0151 709 3789.

Saturday 26 September Tim Lihoreau with Vasily Petrenko, Chief Conductor.

– Saturday 21 November Jane Jones with Julian Rachlin, violinist and conductor.

Linked to concerts on 1/4 October page 14

– Saturday 13 February Tim Lihoreau with Timothy Jackson, Principal horn player and composer

Linked to concert on 26 November page 24

– Saturday 5 March Tim Lihoreau on einaudi

Linked to concerts on 18/19 February page 37

– Saturday 9 April Jane Jones with violinist Tai Murray

Linked to concerts on 10/11 March page 40

– Saturday 4 June Tim Lihoreau on The Rite of Spring Linked to concert on 10 April page 46

Linked to concerts on 9/10 June page 51

Behind the Music

Lunchtime Learning Whether you are new to classical music or a regular concert-goer, join composer and lecturer Ian Stephens for a daytime series of inspiring music and relaxed learning.

This season, in addition to the regular format of a workshop followed by the opportunity to listen to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in the rehearsal, we will be joined by the ensemble of St Luke’s for two sessions in which we will explore the varied repertoire for string quartet. Sessions last 2 - 2½ hours.

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

The Planets Rehearsal Visit

Wednesday 7 October 12.45pm Music of Vaughan Williams, Robin holloway and holst Andrew Manze conductor Robin Haggart tuba –

Petrenko’s Mahler Rehearsal Visit

Tuesday 10 November 12.45pm Music of Mahler and Schumann

Bruckner’s Ninth Rehearsal Visit

Wednesday 10 February 12.45pm Music of Mozart and Bruckner

Sir Andrew Davis conductor Esther Yoo violin –

Lindberg conducts Neilsen Rehearsal Visit Wednesday 2 March 12.45pm Music of Bernstein, Lindberg and Nielsen

Vasily Petrenko conductor Isabelle Faust violin –

Christian Lindberg conductor –

Monday 7 December 12.45pm

Wednesday 27 April 1.45pm Music of Szymanowski, Rachmaninov and Brahms

ensemble of St Luke’s

Rhapsody Rehearsal Visit

Jacek Kaspszyk conductor Niu Niu piano

Songs of Lamentation Rehearsal Visit

Friday 20 May 1.45pm Music of Strauss, Shostakovich and Mahler Vasily Petrenko conductor Olga Mykytenko soprano Jennifer Johnston mezzo-soprano Alexei Kosarev tenor –

ensemble of St Luke’s Monday 27 June 1.45pm

Tickets £15 per session/£10 claimants.

Please note that Orchestral rehearsals may not cover all the listed repertoire or involve all the soloists mentioned.

SuperOrchestra! and Supersing! SuperOrchestra!

Saturday 25 June 2016

SuperOrchestra! is your chance to rehearse and perform with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in Liverpool Philharmonic hall.

If you are Grade 6 standard and above, you are invited to take part in this unique event led by a professional conductor where you’ll perform wellknown orchestral works alongside players from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Repertoire announced when tickets go on sale on Tuesday 1 September. – Fee £30, £15 claimants

SuperSing!

Saturday 25 June 2016

Your chance to perform as part of a massed choir alongside the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Take part in 6 weekly rehearsals leading up to a spectacular performance at Liverpool Philharmonic hall.

For singers and non-singers alike. Previous singing experience is not required, but energy and enthusiasm are essential! Scores will be provided, however you will not be required to read music in order to participate, and additional resources will be provided to help you learn your part. Tickets on sale and rehearsal dates available Tuesday 1 September. – Fee £55, £25 claimants

SuperOrchestra! and Supersing!

You’ll enjoy a lively, interactive tour of the glorious Art Deco Liverpool Philharmonic hall and our new space, the Music Room. Learn about the rich heritage of the uK’s oldest professional symphony orchestra (celebrating 175 years in 2015), walk in the footsteps of the world’s most famous musicians and conductors, get a chance to explore some of the ‘secret spaces’ not seen by the general public, and enjoy a live musical surprise by a Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra musician. The experience lasts approximately 2 hours.

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Tour dates and more information will be published on www.liverpoolphil.com from the following dates: October – December 2015 Tours Booking opens 24 August

January 2016 – March 2016 Tours Booking opens 1 November

April 2016 – July 2016 Tours Booking opens 1 February – Tickets £11 per person, with discounts for groups of 30+. Tours must be booked in advance and numbers are limited. Booking fees may apply. Group Tours If you have a group of 30+ we can look at scheduling a tour for your group exclusively. Please call 0151 210 2901 for more information. Special rates are available for school groups.

We’re delighted to announce an all new Liverpool Philharmonic experience, with the completion of our building works in Autumn 2015.

The Liverpool Philharmonic Experience – All new for 2015!

Chamber Music at St George’s Hall Concert Room

Liverpool Philharmonic’s Chamber Music series features performances by some of the world’s greatest string quartets, vocalists and recital artists.

The glorious setting of St George’s hall Concert Room, a wonderfully intimate space seating around 450 people, provides a splendid backdrop for the concerts.

Liverpool Philharmonic Chamber Music Series is supported by Investec Wealth and Investment

Denis Kozhukhin piano Wednesday 16 September 7.30pm

Beethoven Piano Sonata No.17, Op.31 No.2 ‘Tempest’ Beethoven Piano Sonata No.14, Op.27 No.2 ‘Moonlight’ Debussy Three Preludes from Book I Berio Encores: ‘Luftklavier, Feuerklavier, Wasserklavier’

Denis Kozhukhin © Paul Marc Mitchell

Bartók Out of Doors

In recent seasons, Denis Kozhukhin has emerged as the Russian virtuoso of his generation – and few who were present will forget his performance of Prokofiev’s Third Concerto with the Orchestra and Vasily Petrenko in 2013. In this solo recital Beethoven’s ‘Tempest’ and ‘Moonlight’ sonatas balance a beautifully chosen selection of Debussy preludes to show a deeper, more thoughtful side to Kozhukhin’s artistry. ‘There are not enough stars in the heavens to recognise adequately the calibre of the extraordinary musical experience slammed at its capacity audience on Thursday night by the… young Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin. So let’s settle for five and let your imagination invade the firmament for more…Humbling beauty…’ The herald, Scotland

–

Tickets £25

Booking fees may apply*

Chamber Music at St George’s Hall Concert Room

Ksenija Sidorova accordion Thomas Gould violin Tuesday 13 October 7.30pm

Programme to include: Bach Violin Sonata No.6 in G major Piazzolla Café 1930, Oblivion Schnittke Suite in the Old Style Vittorio Monti Czárdás

Ksenija Sidorova © Phil Tragen

The young British violin virtuoso Thomas Gould is already a familiar name: Ksenija Sidorova, perhaps less so. But together, these two artists are one of the most revelatory partnerships on the current scene – prepare for a lively, insightful and completely original take on music by Bach, Schnittke and Piazzolla. ‘The glorious Latvian accordion player Ksenija Sidorova and the versatile Thomas Gould, whose violin playing reaches the parts few others do…Gould and Sidorova, sparks flying, introduced each piece. The audience chuckled and cheered in response…These two young musicians showed what they can do, and what can be done, with their instruments.’ The Observer

–

Tickets £25

Booking fees may apply*

Julian Rachlin violin

emerson Quartet

with members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Saturday 28 November 7.30pm

Saturday 14 November 7.30pm

Haydn String Quartet in G major, Op.76 No.1 Beethoven String Quartet in F major, Op.135 Schubert String Quartet in G major, D887

With nearly four decades’ of experience behind them, the emerson Quartet is quite simply one of the world’s most distinguished chamber ensembles. But with the recent addition of the British cellist Paul Watkins, that lifetime of experience is now matched by a new freshness. Tonight’s programme delves into the very heart of the emersons’ musical world: haydn, Beethoven and Schubert’s sublime late G major Quartet. You’ll never hear more authoritative performances of these three cornerstones of the quartet repertoire.

Brahms String Quintet No.2, Op.111 Brahms String Sextet No.2, Op.36

Tickets £25

Booking fees may apply*

Liverpool Philharmonic

First amongst equals: Liverpool Philharmonic Artist in Residence Julian Rachlin has never made any secret of his passion for chamber music, and tonight he teams up – first on viola, then on violin – with five Orchestra string players to play two of Brahms’ most big-hearted chamber works. This is the kind of music that string players simply love to play: come and listen in on a very special evening of music-making amongst friends.

–

Julian Rachlin © Julia Wesely

–

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe

‘For this, a soloist such as Rachlin, who is unpretentious…one who sings and bubbles with enthusiasm on his Stradivarius, and who sometimes indulges but who underneath everything is still open to objectivity.’ Leipziger Volkszeitung

‘The Emersons put across a vital and impassioned performance of this thrice-familiar music that made it seem newly minted.’ Chicago Classical Review

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Tickets £25

Booking fees may apply*

Joglaresa Sing We Yule

Monday 7 December 7.30pm This season at Liverpool Philharmonic, we’re exploring Folk Music. So we could hardly celebrate Christmas without a visit from Joglaresa: the medieval dance-band that takes retro to a whole new level, ditching the trappings of the modern festive, and grabbing fidels, harp, bells and bagpipes to party like its 1399. Blow away the December chill with an evening of duelling percussion, soaring voices, riotous dance tunes and traditional carols from across the British Isles - plus lots and lots of spirited improvisation. Never mind Christmas: come and welcome Yule!

‘Joglaresa sing and play straight from the breast-bone.’ The Independent

–

Tickets £25

Booking fees may apply*

Chamber Music at St George’s Hall Concert Room

Tuesday 15 December 7.30pm

A Taste of Spain Falla (arr. Katona) Miller’s Dance, Neighbours’ Dance Rodrigo Invocación y danza Albéniz (arr. Katona) El Puerto, Evocación, Asturias Tarrega Recuerdos de la Alhambra Rodrigo Tonadilla Granados (arr. Katona) Orientale (Spanish Dance No.2) Falla (arr. Katona) El amor brujo (excerpts)

Twin brothers Peter and Zoltán Katona were born in hungary and trained in Germany, but Liverpool is their home. And they’re a phenomenon: from orchestral favourites in inventive arrangements to contemporary classics, there’s no limit to what the Katonas can do with their guitars. Join them for this Spanish-themed evening of Rodrigo, Falla, Granados and Albéniz. ‘Check out the brotherly duo who dazzled in front of a capacity crowd at The Bluecoat this weekend. To witness their virtuoso tandem talent is breathtaking and scarcely believable; surely the sound of one man with four hands, or two men who can read each other’s minds.’ Liverpool echo

–

Tickets £25

Katona Twins

Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Nathalie Stutzmann contralto Inger Södergren piano Saturday 23 January 7.30pm

Schubert Winterreise

Nathalie Stutzmann © Simon Fowler

Katona Twins guitars

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe Liverpool Philharmonic

A solitary traveller, a frozen landscape, a wounded heart. Schubert’s Winterreise is more than just a series of songs; it’s a piercing study of the human soul. Artist in Residence Nathalie Stutzmann is a singer as well as a conductor; along with pianist Inger Södergren she’s spent decades exploring this greatest of all songcycles. This rare chance to hear their “winter journey” here in Liverpool should be profoundly rewarding.

‘She sings off the words and catches the moods without sweeping gestures. She is a wonderful narrator who also happens to have a marvellous singing voice…I have listened to uncountable performances of Winterreise, many of them exceptionally good, but none has touched me as much as this one.’ MusicWeb International

–

Tickets £25

Booking fees may apply*

Pavel haas Quartet Monday 8 February 7.30pm

Pavel Haas String Quartet No.2 ‘From the Monkey Mountains’

Paval Haas Quartet © Marco Borggreve

Dvor˘ák String Quartet No.12 ‘American’

With three Gramophone Awards behind them, and a global reputation, it seems wrong to speak of the Pavel haas Quartet as a new group – yet their intense musical curiosity makes everything they perform feel newlyminted. This typically imaginative programme places Dvor˘ák’s ‘American’ Quartet alongside two Czech rarities. It goes without saying that no quartet plays Pavel haas quite like the PhQ, but there are few more impassioned champions of Smetana’s neglected Second Quartet, too. ‘The PHQ responded in full to the inwardness and intimacy… a fine demonstration of what makes the Pavel Haas Quartet one of the most outstanding of such ensembles today.’ Classical Source

–

Tickets £25

Booking fees may apply*

Chamber Music at St George’s Hall Concert Room

Nightingale String Quartet

Smetana String Quartet No.2

Sunday 20 March 2.3opm

Beethoven String Quartet in B flat Op.18 No.6 Mozart Clarinet Quintet Grieg String Quartet

The 21st century is turning out to be a golden age for new string quartets – and the Nightingale Quartet’s debut recordings of Rued Langgaard have drawn worldwide critical praise. Their debut Liverpool recital finds this young Danish group tackling early Beethoven, exploring the repertoire of their native Scandinavia – in Grieg’s impassioned G minor Quartet – and joining the award-winning Danish clarinettist Mathias Kjøller for one of the bestloved works in all chamber music: Mozart’s evergreen Clarinet Quintet.

‘Crucially the Nightingale Quartet understand all these aspects: the provocative vitality, the fragile romantic sensitivity and the striking intellectual independence behind it all.’ BBC Music Magazine

–

Tickets £25

Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Yundi piano

Tuesday 12 April 7.30pm

Liverpool Philharmonic hall (please note venue)

All-Chopin Programme: 24 Préludes, Op.28

Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante, Op.22 Piano Sonata No.2 in B flat minor, Op.35

The name says it all: Yundi’s insight, virtuosity and stellar charisma have made him one of the most celebrated classical pianists anywhere in the world today. This recital, though, takes him back to the composer with whom he first made his name and who remains at the very centre of his artistic life: Frédéric Chopin. ‘Yundi Li, the brilliant young Chinese pianist, has proved a technically astounding pianist who is by turns elegant and rambunctious, coolly expressive and white hot.’ The New York Times

–

Tickets £25

Booking fees may apply* Yundi © Chen Man / Mercury Classics

Nightingale Quartet with Mathias Kjøller clarinet

Catrin Finch harp

Vanbrugh Quartet

with members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Tuesday 19 April 7.30pm

Seán Doherty String Quartet No.3 UK Premiere

Vanbrugh Quartet © Miki Barlok

Beethoven String Quartet No.15, Op.132

Winner of the 1988 London International String Quartet Competition and now in its twenty-fourth concert season, the Vanbrugh Quartet brings some of the world’s most beautiful chamber music for strings to Liverpool. One of europe’s most successful ensembles, it is internationally recognized for its beauty of sound, clarity of texture and integrity of interpretation within an unusually wide and varied range of repertoire. The programme will include one of Beethoven’s monumental late quartets as well as the premiere of a new work by the young award-winning Irish composer, Seán Doherty. Doherty writes “this work was written in memory of my teacher, the Donegal fiddle icon James Byrne, who died on his way home from a session in the early hours of 8 November 2008 near his home in the townland of Mín na Croise. It is loosely based on two tunes I learned from his playing: the slow air An Lon Dubh and the reel The Devil’s Dream”.

–

Tickets £25

Booking fees may apply*

Chamber Music at St George’s Hall Concert Room

Debussy Danses Sacrée et Profane Saint-Saëns Fantasie for Violin and Harp Ravel Introduction and Allegro Fauré Impromptu Catrin Finch Selection for harp and Strings, including the Celtic Concerto and excerpts from her album Tides

Liverpool Philharmonic

The Debussy Danses Sacrée et Profane were written as a test piece in 1904 for the Brussels Conservatoire “chromatic harp” entry – now it is firmly in the mainstream harp repertoire. Alongside other French classics, Saint-Saëns Fantasie for Violin and harp, Faure’s Impromptu for solo harp and the Ravel Introduction and Allegro, the first half of the recital draws from the repertoire of popular harp concert pieces before the exciting contrast of hearing Catrin’s own compositions with strings in the second half, drawn from her revolutionary Tides CD, influenced by her personal interest and support of the charity Water Aid.

–

Tickets £25

Booking fees may apply*

Catrin Finch © Sven Sindt

Tchaikovsky String Quartet No.3

Tuesday 10 May 7.30pm

ARTISTS in ReSIDeNCe

Family Concerts Liverpool Philharmonic Family Concerts are a great way for children and adults to come together to experience a full symphony orchestra performing music live. Concerts last about 1 hour. Fidgeting is allowed, so come along and give it a try! Children are invited to have a go on a variety of instruments from 30 minutes prior to each concert at our Instrument Petting Zoo.

SU P E R H E R O ES

Santa’s Sleigh on Hope Street

Sunday 1 November 2.30pm

Saturday 19 & Sunday 20 11.30am & 2.30pm Tuesday 22 December 2.30pm

Natalie Murray Beale conductor Alasdair Malloy presenter –

Michael Seal conductor Alasdair Malloy presenter Melody Makers and Liverpool Philharmonic Training Choir –

Put on your Superhero suits, capes and masks and fill the fabulous Liverpool Philharmonic hall for a fantastically Super-Powerful afternoon of sensational sounds for caped crusaders, masked, mysterious men and wonder women.

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will be using their superability to play superheroic themes from Batman, Spiderman, The Incredibles, Superman and many more. There’ll even be some music from your favourite video games including Halo and Super Mario! Come dressed as your favourite superhero.

–

Tickets £11, £15, £18 (adults) £7, £9, £11 (children) Booking fees may apply*

What’s that sound - do you hear sleighbells? Could it be…? Well, it IS that time of year! And here at Liverpool Philharmonic we’re most definitely in the Christmas mood. everyone’s here: the Orchestra, our wonderful Melody Makers and Liverpool Philharmonic Training Choir, our presenter Alasdair Malloy and conductor Michael Seal. All we need now is you, as we set off on a magical musical sleigh-ride towards Christmas, for all the family. have your photo taken with real live reindeer guests (before they head off to the North Pole to pull Santa’s sleigh) and you never know, a special someone with a white beard and a red coat might just drop by. Bring your best singing voice – and be ready to find out!

–

Tickets £13, £17, £25 (adults) £8, £10, £13 (children Booking fees may apply*

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

Family Classics with Vasily Petrenko Sunday 21 February 2.30pm Vasily Petrenko conductor –

A one-hour concert to introduce the younger audience to the world of the symphony orchestra, led by our dynamic Chief Conductor Vasily Petrenko. The programme includes a rousing selection of favourites such as Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien, Ravel’s Mother Goose, and Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance from Gayane.

Symphonic Safari Sunday 24 April 2.30pm

Natalie Murray Beale conductor Alasdair Malloy presenter – Come and join the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra on an animal adventure to meet all sorts of exciting creatures! expect some awesome animal antics as we encounter fur, feathers and fins from far and near with music to match.

A perfect choice for children and adults aged 5+.

Come dressed as your favourite animal and bring a cuddly animal toy to join in the fun!

Booking fees may apply*

–

Tickets £11, £15, £18 (adults) £7, £9, £11 (children)

–

S D K B CLU

Join a fun and exciting club made just for kids who love music as much as you do. Liverpool Philharmonic Kids Club is for those who want to learn more about music and the people who make music.

Included in your Liverpool Philharmonic Kids Club Membership kit are the following: • A Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra pencil for jotting down your concert reviews • Invitation to open rehearsals each year where you will get the chance to meet musicians and conductors • Emails from our Chief Conductor Vasily Petrenko highlighting interesting concerts • Opportunity to enter exclusive prize draws for concert tickets • Invitation to a masterclass with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra musicians

Tickets £11, £15, £18 (adults) £7, £9, £11 (children)

To join, visit www.liverpoolphil.com/ kidsclub

Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Ensembles Simon Emery Artistic Director, Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Ensembles Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Sir Simon Rattle Patron

Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra provides a platform bringing together the region’s best young musicians to make music, inspire one another and produce exhilarating performances at Liverpool Philharmonic hall.

Sunday 29 November 2.30pm

– Walton Spitfire Prelude and Fugue Beethoven Piano Concerto No.1 Franck Symphony in D minor – Simon Emery conductor Ian Buckle piano

Sunday 13 March 7.30pm

– Shostakovich Festive Overture Bizet excerpts from Carmen Shostakovich Symphony No.5 – Simon Emery conductor

Sunday 20 March 6pm

– Choral Celebration! Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir Liverpool Philharmonic Training Choir Melody Makers Simon Emery conductor, Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir

Alison White conductor, Liverpool Philharmonic Training Choir & Melody Makers

Sunday 17 July 2.30pm

– Britten The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra Holst St. Paul’s Suite Bernstein Suite from On the Waterfront – Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition Winner Members of the Youth Orchestra will audition for the opportunity to appear as a soloist in this concert

Simon Emery conductor –

Tickets £9 adults / £6 under 25s £2 Liverpool Young Musician Pass Booking fees may apply*

MUSIC ROOM This season we’re delighted to announce the opening of the Music Room, a brand new performance space created as part of the £13.8 million refurbishment of the Grade II* listed Liverpool Philharmonic hall. The 160-250 seat variable capacity space with a bar and dining areas will open in October 2015 and will have its own entrance on Sugnall Street (just off Myrtle Street).

A contemporary, intimate and flexible space, the Music Room will host a wide range of concerts and events. These will complement the programme in Liverpool Philharmonic hall’s main auditorium and will include folk, roots and acoustic music and concerts by Liverpool Philharmonic ensembles, and will allow Liverpool Philharmonic to present music in collaboration with

Music Room

many more city-based artists, festivals and promoters. The Music Room will be an exciting new addition to Liverpool’s musical life.

The Music Room will also be a fantastic new space for our extensive learning programme, including Discover the Classics (Saturday sessions exploring upcoming concerts with visiting artists and conductors) and children’s workshops.

Lunchtime Concerts

Lunchtime Concerts will take place in the Music Room (and Liverpool Philharmonic hall on occasion) from Autumn 2015. Details to be announced in Summer 2015.

Left Artist’s rendering of the new Music Room

Access Guide Liverpool Philharmonic strives to be as accessible as possible to all patrons. Please let the Box Office know of your specific requirements when booking your tickets in order to make best use of our facilities. Assistance

We want you to enjoy your visit to Liverpool Philharmonic hall. If you need help or advice in planning your visit, please call a member of our Box Office team on 0151 709 3789 or email customerservices@liverpoolphil.com.

Lifts

Level access is available to the foyer and Box Office from the hope Street main entrance.

Passenger lift and level access is available in the foyer to the stalls, boxes, circle, basement toilets, Grand Foyer, and 1840 Room.

Wheelchairs

We have 2 wheelchairs for customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; use, subject to availability. Please see any member of Liverpool Philharmonic staff on arrival to request use of one.

Buying Tickets

All our spaces have seating for wheelchair users, those with limited mobility, and other disabled people. Please tell us your access requirements when you book so we can recommend the most suitable seats for you.

To ensure the best choice of suitable seats, please book in advance. This also enables us to send your tickets to you before the day, time permitting. Tickets can be booked by telephone via the Text Relay service (www.textrelay.org) during standard Box Office hours.

Parking / Setting Down

Though there is no specific disabled parking at Liverpool Philharmonic hall, Blue Badge holders can park on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours, except where there is a ban on loading or unloading. They can park in any on-street Pay and Display bays and in most of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pay and Display car parks free of charge, with no time limit.

72 On the streets surrounding the hall, there are Pay and Display bays as well as parts of each street that have single or double lines, all of which Blue Badge holders can park on free of charge.

There is a convenient setting down area directly in front of the main entrance on hope Street. Access to the ground floor and lifts is via automatic doors and without steps or ramps. There will be stewards in the entrance foyer who will be happy to assist you.

Ticketing

Wheelchair users and other customers who require a companion or carer to assist their visit are entitled to a free ticket for the companion/carer on production of appropriate identification. To access this discount, you must register with our Access Scheme. See www.liverpoolphil.com/access or call our Box Office 0151 709 3789 for details.

Your Seats

Spaces for wheelchairs with seats for companions are available in Boxes 7, 8, 15 and 16, Row A in the front of the Stalls and Rows X & Y in the Grand Circle.

A number of the aisle seats in the Stalls are transfer seats. Transfer seats have movable armrests for those who would like to transfer out of their wheelchair and can be used by others with limited mobility.

Accessible WCs

Three ambulant accessible unisex WCs and two fully accessible WCs, allowing right hand or left hand transfer, are available in the foyer. A further accessible WC can be found at stalls level close to Box 16. An additional ambulant accessible WC is located in both the male and female toilets in the basement.

Hearing Induction Loop

A hearing Induction Loop enhancement system for hearing aid users is available in Box Office and the Main Auditorium. The loop system in the auditorium requires infrared equipment, which can be requested from the kiosk in the Foyer upon arrival. We have equipment that can work with hearing aids or independently.

Assistance Dogs

Assistance Dogs are welcome throughout the hall and water is available for them. Please advise the Box Office when purchasing your ticket if you are bringing an assistance dog.

Large print versions of the brochure are available from the Marketing Department by calling 0151 210 2895.

Baby Changing Facilities

Baby changing facilities are available in the WC in the outer corridor of the auditorium close to Box 7.

Liverpool Philharmonic strives to be as accessible as possible to all. We have been awarded Bronze Standard accreditation from Attitude is everything.

Attitude is Everything improves Deaf and disabled peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s access to live music by working in partnership with audiences, artists and the music industry to implement a Charter of Best Practice across the UK. Read more at www.attitudeiseverything.org.uk

Hall Information All areas of the building are nonsmoking. Alcohol and glassware are not permitted in the auditorium (including the boxes) at any time. The auditorium usually opens 30 minutes prior to the start of the performance. Please ensure that all mobile phones and other communications devices are switched off before entering the auditorium.

Flash photography or recording of any performance in any format is strictly prohibited.

Booking Information

How to book

Booking Fees

Online www.liverpoolphil.com

Online/Phone Orders 7.5% booking fee applies

Postal Booking Box Office, Liverpool Philharmonic hall, hope St, Liverpool L1 9BP

When to book

Telephone 0151 709 3789

In Person Cash/Debit cards No charge Credit card 2% Cheque 70p Group tickets (10+ tickets) 50p per ticket fee.

Tuesday 12 May Postal booking opens for renewing subscribers, members and groups. In person booking (by appointment only) Monday 8 – Friday 12 June If you would like to book your subscription in person, you can schedule a time to meet with a member of our Box Office team at Liverpool Philharmonic hall during the week of 8 – 12 June. To schedule, please phone 0151 709 3789 or visit www.liverpoolphil.com/subscription.

Saturday 13 June Telephone booking opens for renewing subscribers, members and groups. Friday 26 June Booking opens for new subscribers

Monday 6 July Public Booking Opens All Tickets On Sale!

Subscriptions can be booked only by telephone (0151 709 3789), in person or by post. Please note your credit card is charged when your order is received. Subscription tickets will be posted in June. Direct Debits will be processed on the date specified on your form.

Opening Hours

Telephone booking hours are 9.30am-5.30pm Monday – Saturday and 12-5pm on Sunday on nonperformance days. On performance days, telephone booking is available from 9.30am-6pm. In person booking is available:

Performance Days Monday - Saturday 10am - 15 minutes after the concert begins Sunday 12noon - 15 minutes after the concert begins Non-performance Days Monday to Saturday 10am – 5.30pm Sunday closed

Save on booking fees by becoming a member!

Booking fees DO NOT apply to Silver Members (£100 per year), and you’ll enjoy a host of other benefits as well. For more information on membership see page 6.

(Booking fees still apply to Group (10+) orders)

Discounted tickets Concessions under 25s, students and claimants can purchase tickets for just £7 on production of appropriate identification (subject to availability and seating may be limited). Concession tickets do not apply to Family Concerts, New Year’s Eve and Messiah and may be limited for other concerts.

Young Musicians Pass

under 18, live in Liverpool and play a musical instrument? You can attend concerts for just £2! Visit www.liverpoolphil.com to apply for the pass. Tickets are offered subject to availability and no other discounts apply. Standby Tickets

On the day of the concert, Senior Citizens (aged 65 or over at the time of booking) may purchase half-priced tickets IN PeRSON ONLY (no telephone orders) at Liverpool Philharmonic hall Box Office. Standby tickets are limited to 2 per person. Standby tickets are subject to availability and if there are only a small number of tickets remaining for a concert, standby tickets will not be available.

Not available for Spirit of Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Messiah and Family Concerts.

Ticket Exchange

Subscribers and members can exchange their tickets against any other Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Concert in the same season at Liverpool Philharmonic hall. Single ticket buyers may exchange tickets for a service charge of £2 per ticket. All exchanges must be made 24 hours in advance by post or in person.

Tickets Flexible Series Make up your own package and save! You can include any concert in this brochure in your series. Book 5-7 concerts Book 8-13 concerts Book 14-24 concerts Book 25 or more

Save 10% Save 15% Save 20% Save 25%

Book 8 or more concerts and get a free ticket to a Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra concert (see page 67), or a Discover the Classics session (limited availability). See page 9 for more benefits of subscribing!

Fixed Series Fixed series (henry e Rensburg, Classic FM, Liverpool John Moores university Series) are a great way to enjoy regular concert-going. With a fixed series you can request the same seats for every performance and carry these over each year. Don’t want to miss a single concert? The Marathon series includes tickets for every Orchestral concert at a whopping 30% discount!

Fixed Series Prices A

Marathon Series 44 concerts (save 30%)

£448.00

£632.80

£821.80

£975.80

£1,244.60

Liverpool John Moores University Series 4 concerts

£60.00

£84.00

£109.00

£129.00

£163.00

Henry E Rensburg Series 14 concerts (save 20%)

£156.80

£224.00

£291.20

£347.20

£448.00

Classic FM Series 11 concerts (save 15%)

£130.90

£187.00

£243.10

£289.85

£374.00

Sunday Afternoon Classics 6 concerts (save 10%)

£75.60

£108.00

£140.40

£167.40

£216.00

Chamber Music Concerts 12 concerts (save 15%)

£255.00

Discover the Classics 6 sessions

£75/£50 (students/claimants)

Seating Plan Rear Circle

Group Discounts

O N M L K J H G

Generous group discounts are available for most concerts:

Groups of 15 - 29 10% off Groups of 30 - 59 15% off Groups of 60+ 20% off

X W V U T S

Access Scheme

Wheelchair users and other customers who require a companion or carer to assist their visit are entitled to a free ticket for the companion/carer. To access this discount, you must register with our Access Scheme.

See www.liverpoolphil.com/access or call our Box Office 0151 709 3789 for details.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

F E D C B A

For more details call Dawn Williams, Group Sales Coordinator, on 0151 210 2918 or email dawn.williams@liverpoolphil.com

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1

1 1

1 1 1 1

1 1 1

P O N M L K J H G F E D C B A

N M L K J H G

Boxes

Stalls P O N M L K J H G F E D C B A

55 48 50 48 48 48 50 50

F E D C B A

46 46 46 38 38 38

X W V U T S

Grand Circle

X W V U T S

F E D C B A

N M L K J H G Upper Circle

N M L K J H G

X W V U T S

48 48 48

50 50

P O N M L K J H G F E D C B A

X W V U T S

44 44

44 44 44

44 44 42

42 42 42

40 40 40

Stage

F E D C B A

O N M L K J H G

- Wheelchair spaces - Transfer seats - Armrest on aisle lifts for ease of transfer from wheelchair or walker

How to ﬁnd us

Where to Park Liverpool Philharmonic Hall 80

N LO

O RT NO

T ER S

T HU N

A5047

A59

HI LL

LOW WN BRO

RE N CLA

ERRY

MULB

ST LEECE ST

ST RIDGE CAMB

HOPE ST

HA NO VE

OXFORD

ST RODNEY

BO LD

PLEASA NT

LIVERPOOL CENTRAL

T CE S

MOUN T H NS RE

HOPE ST

FALKNER ST

CANNING ST 03 9

NING ST

LIVERPOOL CATHEDRAL

E ST HOP

T CAN GREA

KE ST

CATHARINE ST

CALEDONIA ST

DUKE ST UPPER DU

MYRTL

MYRTLE ST

HARDMAN ST

BERRY ST

Continue along the motorway until its end and then follow the signs for the city centre, cathedrals and universities (c.3 miles). Turn left at the Metropolitan Cathedral and head along hope Street. If lost, use this maxim: find one cathedral, head for the other. Liverpool Philharmonic hall is halfway between the two.

METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL

L HIL

SAN T

(L1 9BP)

L HIL LOW WN BRO

LEA

M LI

Directions from the M62

NT P

ELL

MOU

LIME ST STATION

ST GEORGE’S HALL

S RUS

TUNNEL ENTRANCE

CO PP E

QUE

Y SWA

LIME ST

Liverpool Philharmonic hall is within walking distance of Lime Street and Central Stations. We are also on the frequent 75, 80 and 86 bus routes. www.merseytravel.gov.uk has comprehensive transport information and a ‘Journey Planner’ service, or you can call Traveline on 0871 200 2233.

DAULBY ST

Public Transport

N DO

E ST

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral - Reserve and pre-pay available (L3 5TQ)

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral is situated on Mount Pleasant and is a 5 minute walk along hope Street from Liverpool Philharmonic hall. By car on entering the city follow the brown tourist signs to Cathedrals. The car park is situated underneath the Cathedral itself. Please note there is no overnight parking Reserve and pre-pay for parking for Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Concerts for only £4.

Car park opening times: 6pm – 11pm. Car park is available to book for most concerts. Visit www.liverpoolphil.com/carparking for details. The car park is also available during the day between 7.30am – 6.00pm.

Cost > £1 for 1 hour; £2 for 2 hours; £5 all day to 6pm.

Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (L1 9BP)

Situated off Caledonia Street, this payon-entry car park is open from 8.30am and is available for concerts. Please note that parking is limited and is on a first come, first served basis.

Blue Badge holders are able to reserve car park spaces at the Box Office (0151 709 3789). All reservations must be made at least one week in advance of the concert, and are subject to availability. Payment to be made on entry to car park. Cost > £5

Please note that parking is very limited at this location, especially on Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra concert nights.

Secure Parking, Heathfield Street (L1 4eF)

Situated on heathfield Street, just off Renshaw Street. Located just a few minutes’ walk from Liverpool Philharmonic hall, open 24/7 with all day and evening parking. You can book online at uk.secure-a-spot.com Cost > £3.50 4

Blackburne House Car Park (L8 7Pe)

Situated on Falkner Street, this car park is open on concert nights from 5pm, until 20mins after the end of concerts. Please note that gates will be locked after this period. Please do not use this car park if unstaffed. Cost > £6

University of Liverpool Visitor Car Parking Mount Pleasant (L3 5TQ)

Situated opposite the Metropolitan Cathedral, this car park is available all day. 6

Cambridge Street (L7 7ee)

Situated opposite the Cambridge pub, this car park is available Monday Friday after 5.30pm, and all day on Saturday and Sunday.

For both car parks take ticket on entry at the barrier, and pay with ticket at pay machine before leaving. Cost > £4 up to 3 hours, £5 up to 4 hours, £6 over 4 hours

Liverpool Cathedral (L1 7AZ)

Situated on upper Duke Street, a few minutes’ walk away, the car park is generally open on concert nights from 5.30pm. Secure parking with CCTV monitoring and manned patrols.

Cost > £4 on production of your concert ticket. Please ensure that concert tickets are produced and payment for car park is made at the Constable’s Lodge on arrival.

The car park is also available during the day between 7.30am - 6.00pm. Cost > £3 up to 3 hours, £5 3 - 6 hours 8

Mount Pleasant MultiStorey Car Park (L3 5TB)

Situated on Mount Pleasant, the car park is open Monday to Saturday (7am to 8pm) and Sunday (9am to 8pm). Cost > £1 per hour, £4 over 3 hours.

Free for blue badge holders all day, when parked in dedicated disabled parking places (level 5 only).

Dining at Liverpool Philharmonic enjoy dining all day in our splendidly refurbished Grand Foyer. Pre-show dining can be reserved from 5pm and we’re open postshow for drinks and a unique range of sharing platters. You can also join us during the day for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.

Opening Hours: Performance Days Monday – Saturday 10am - 1 hour post show Sunday 12noon - 1 hour post show Non-performance Days Monday – Saturday 10am - 6pm Sunday Closed

New Year’s Eve

Join us in our new space, the Music Room for a pre-show dinner or postshow hot supper.

The pre-show three-course dinner features entrées including Grilled Sea Bass Fillet, Corn-Fed Chicken Breast wrapped in Cured ham, Pan Fried Pork Fillet, and Linguine Pasta with Creamy Cheshire Blue Cheese, Spinach, and Toasted Walnuts. – £30 per person

The post-show hot supper includes champagne on arrival, a buffet supper menu featuring Scouse, Blind Scouse, Butternut Squash and Blue Cheese Risotto, Wild Boar Sausage and Mash, and Orange and Whisky Verrine, and a champagne toast at midnight. – £35 per person

kl Valentine’s Day

enjoy a Valentine’s Afternoon Tea on Saturday 13 February (following our matinée concert) featuring delights including Soused Cucumber and Smooth Cream Cheese on Choux Bun, Cured ham and Sun Kissed Tomato on White Bloomer Bread, Smoked Salmon with a Lemon Crème Fraîche on Malted Bloomer Bread and a variety of cakes including Red Velvet Cake, Rosewater Scented Mini Trifles, and White Chocolate and Champagne Scones! – £15.95 per person

Or flash back to the swinging 60s with a pre-show ‘Sixties Valentine Dinner’ featuring classics of the era including Braised Flank of Beef on a Bed of Mashed Potato accompanied with Baby Vegetables and Red Wine Sauce, Duck à l’Orange served with Dauphinoise and a Green Bean Parcel, Sixties Scampi and Chips served with Crushed Garden Peas and a Tartare Sauce and Steamed Leek and Mushroom Suet Pudding served with Parmentier Potatoes, Carrot and Swede. – Two courses £19 | Three courses £25 Please reserve your tables in advance for these events to avoid disappointment. Phone 0151 709 3789 or visit www.liverpoolphil.com/dining.

At Investec Wealth & Investment we take great pride in our partnership with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, even more so in this very special year which sees this great orchestra celebrate its 175th anniversary. We look forward to the 2015-16 season with great anticipation.

L to R: David Owen, Vasily Petrenko, Michael Eakin

I am confident that we will all continue to be thrilled and inspired by the sheer vibrancy, virtuosity and vitality of the Orchestra’s forthcoming season’s performances.

Our continued partnership with Liverpool Philharmonic is testament to our strong and long-established commitment to Liverpool. In its anniversary year and in the magnificently refurbished hall, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will continue to be a key element of the City of Liverpool’s cultural life under the leadership of maestro Vasily Petrenko. We believe that Liverpool Philharmonic’s role both nationally and internationally plays a central role in the cultural and economic renaissance that the City continues to enjoy.

Investec Wealth & Investment is proud of its Liverpudlian heritage and as a significant employer in the City recognises the importance that business and culture working in partnership has in supporting the City’s long term goals. Our business’s foundations are built on nurturing and supporting strong and enduring relationships with our clients. These relationships are built on trust,

integrity and understanding, valuable and often rare commodities in today’s complex financial world. Our partnership with Liverpool Philharmonic reflects our core ethos perfectly.

We are proud to continue our support of Vasily and the Orchestra in this anniversary year and have no doubt the 2015/16 season will provide us all with more ‘extraordinary performances’ in the coming year.

David Owen Senior Investment Director Investec Wealth & Investment

L to R: Professor Nigel Weatherill, Vice Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University, and Vasily Petrenko with students of LJMU.

In 1825, a small institution was founded that was to revolutionise education in Liverpool and provide opportunities for the working people of the city. The Liverpool Mechanics Institute was founded by men of power and influence who recognised the transformative effects of education and the impact that learning could have on individuals, communities and society.

This pioneering movement laid the foundations for Liverpool John Moores university, an institution that has grown to become one of the uKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading civic universities and has built a reputation for working in partnership with organisations with similar values and ambitions.

Our partnership with Liverpool Philharmonic has developed over the last two years to become a model of how two like-minded organisations can find new and mutually beneficial ways of working together. What started as a new approach to provide all our students with the opportunity to experience world class orchestral concerts has resulted in hundreds of our students becoming regular audience members. We have embarked upon joint international ventures with the Orchestra, most recently during their trip to China.

Through our combined outreach programmes we demonstrate to children and young people of all ages and backgrounds that learning and culture in all their forms are relevant to todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s society â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and that everyone should and can get involved. At Liverpool Philharmonic hall we regularly present our acclaimed Roscoe

Lectures, the largest public lecture series outside London, where young citizens are recognised on a public platform.

One of our most lively Roscoe Lectures was delivered by Vasily Petrenko, who is a great friend of the university and an honorary Fellow. Vasily has also participated in our degree ceremonies, to the delight of our graduates. We are immensely proud of our partnership with Liverpool Philharmonic, we have much to learn from each other and the synergies between our organisations are many and varied. We look forward to bringing new student audiences to hear outstanding musical performances and see the workings of an internationally renowned orchestra.

Professor Nigel Weatherill Vice Chancellor Liverpool John Moores university

Diary September 2015

16 Wed 7.30pm 24 Thur 7.30pm 25 Fri 7.30pm 26 Sat 11am

October 2015

1 4 7 8 10 13 15 16 22 25 30

Thur Sun Wed Thu Sat Tue Thu Fri Thu Sun Fri

7.30pm 2.30pm 12.45pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm

November 2015

1 Sun 2.30pm 7 Sat 7.30pm 10 Tue 12.45pm 12 Thu 7.30pm 13 Fri 2.30pm 14 Sat 7.30pm 19 Thu 7.30pm 21 Sat 11am 22 Sun 2.30pm 26 Thu 7.30pm 28 Sat 7.30pm 29 Sun 2.30pm

December 2015

3 4 7 7

Thu Fri Mon Mon

7.30pm 2.30pm 12.45pm 7.30pm

Denis Kozhukhin piano* Classic FM hall of Fame Classic FM hall of Fame Discover the Classics

P58 P13 P13 P53

Songs from Distant Lands Alpine Symphony Lunchtime Learning The Planets The Carl Davis Collection... Ksenija Sidorova/Thomas Gould* exotic Tales exotic Tales Slavic Sounds elijah Psycho

P14 P14 P54 P15 P16 P58 P17 P17 P18 P19 P19

Family: Superheroes! Baroque Masters Lunchtime Learning Petrenko’s Mahler Petrenko’s Mahler emerson Quartet* Russian Classics Discover the Classics Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto Mozart and Mendelssohn Julian Rachlin violin* Youth Orchestra

P65 P20 P54 P21 P21 P59 P23 P53 P23 P24 P59 P67

Fairy Tales Fairy Tales Lunchtime Learning Joglaresa - Sing We Yule*

P24 P24 P54 P60

12 Sat 7.30pm 15 Tue 7.30pm 17 Thu 7.30pm 19 Sat 11.30am 19 Sat 2.30pm 19 Sat 7.30pm 20 Sun 11.30am 20 Sun 2.30pm 20 Sun 7.30pm 22 Tue 2.30pm 22 Tue 7.30pm 23 Wed 7.30pm 31 Thu 7.30pm

January 2016

2 Sat 7.30pm 3 Sun 2.30pm 9 Sat 7pm 14 Thu 7.30pm 21 Thu 7.30pm 22 Fri 2.30pm 23 Sat 7.30pm 28 Thu 7.30pm 31 Sun 2.30pm

February 2016

6 8 10 11 13 13 13 18 19 21 25 28

Sat Mon Wed Thu Sat Sat Sat Thu Fri Sun Thu Sun

7.30pm 7.30pm 12.45pm 7.30pm 11am 2.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm

A hollywood Christmas Katona Twins guitars* Spirit of Christmas Family: Santa’s Sleigh on hope Street Family: Santa’s Sleigh on hope Street Spirit of Christmas Family: Santa’s Sleigh on hope Street Family: Santa’s Sleigh on hope Street Spirit of Christmas Family: Santa’s Sleigh on hope Street Spirit of Christmas Spirit of Christmas happy Birthday Mr Sinatra

P25 P61 P26 P65 P65 P26 P65 P65 P26 P65 P26 P26 P28

home Alone! Film with Live Orchestra home Alone! Film with Live Orchestra Messiah Symphonie Fantastique Petrenko’s Shostakovich Petrenko’s Shostakovich Nathalie Stutzmann/Inger Södergren* Dvořák’s eighth Dances and Variations

P29 P29 P29 P30 P31 P31 P61 P32 P33

Carmina Burana Pavel haas Quartet* Lunchtime Learning Bruckner’s Ninth Discover the Classics Sixties’ Valentine: Love Songs ... Sixties’ Valentine: Love Songs ... La Mer La Mer Family Classics with Vasily Petrenko Magical Mozart Sound the Trumpet!

P34 P62 P54 P35 P53 P36 P36 P37 P37 P66 P37 P38

March 2016

2 3

Wed 12.45pm Lunchtime Learning Thu 7.30pm Lindberg conducts Nielsen

5 Sat 11am 10 Thu 7.30pm 11 Fri 2.30pm 13 Sun 7.30pm 19 Sat 7.30pm 20 Sun 2.30pm 20 Sun 6pm 23 Wed 7pm 31 Thu 7.30pm

April 2016

1 7 9 10 12 19 21 22 24 27 28

Fri Thu Sat Sun Tue Tue Thu Fri Sun Wed Thu

7.30pm 7.30pm 11am 2.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 1.45pm 7.30pm

May 2016

5 Thu 7.30pm 10 Tue 7.30pm 12 Thu 7.30pm 13 Fri 7.30pm 20 Fri 1.45pm 21 Sat 7.30pm 26 Thu 7.30pm

June 2016

4 Sat 11am 9 Thu 7.30pm 10 Fri 7.30pm 25 Sat 27 Mon 1.45pm

July 2016 P54 P39

Sun 2.30pm

Discover the Classics einaudi World Premiere einaudi World Premiere Youth Orchestra Symphonic Adventure Nightingale Quartet/Mathias Kjøller* Choral Celebration! Bach’s St Matthew Passion Viennese Masters

P53 P40 P40 P67 P42 P63 P67 P43 P44

Viennese Masters Northern Dreams Discover the Classics Bruch’s Violin Concerto Yundi piano Vanbrugh Quartet* emperor emperor Family: Symphonic Safari Lunchtime Learning Rhapsody

P44 P45 P53 P46 P63 P64 P47 P47 P66 P54 P47

Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia Catrin Finch harp* Flute and harp Flute and harp Lunchtime Learning Songs of Lamentation Daphnis et Chloé

P48 P64 P49 P49 P54 P50 P50

Discover the Classics The Rite of Spring The Rite of Spring Super Concert! Lunchtime Learning

P53 P51 P51 P55 P54

Youth Orchestra

P67

Key - Events in BLUE - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Concerts | Events in PURPLE - Chamber Music Concerts | Events in BLACK - Behind the Music sessions *Concerts outside Liverpool Philharmonic hall

Left The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra at Liverpool Philharmonic hall Photography ÂŠ Mark McNulty

PRINCIPAL FUNDERS

Thanks to the City of Liverpool for its financial support

PRINCIPAL PARTNERS

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra The

Orchestra in North West England

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society A company limited by guarantee Registered in england number 88235 Registered charity number 230538 – Patron her Majesty the Queen President The Rt hon the earl of Derby DL – Please note, programme is correct at time of going to print. For the most up to date information visit www.liverpoolphil.com – Design Paul hooley Commissioned photography Mark McNulty

Front cover Vasily Petrenko conducts the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.