Exploring music and memory in our new concert season
– AUTUMN / WINTER 2024 –
WE LISTEN TO MOMENTS OF LOST TIME ... GLIMMERS OF WHAT ANOTHER ERA HAS WRITTEN, HEARD, DREAMED, HOPED AND MOURNED.
FROM TIME’S ECHO BY JEREMY EICHLER, LPO WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE 2024/25
CRISIS CREATES – 09 –
Creating new music and finding a sense of belonging, with homeless charity Crisis UK
BACKSTAGE – 16 –
Behind the scenes with Mark Vines, Co-Principal Horn and new LPO President
ORCHLAB PROJECT PARTNER
PRINCIPAL SUPPORTERS
LPO CORPORATE CIRCLE
Bloomberg
Carter-Ruck Solicitors
French Chamber of Commerce
Ryze Power
German-British Chamber of Industry & Commerce
Lazard
Natixis Corporate Investment Banking
Walpole
PREFERRED PARTNERS
Jeroboams
Lindt & Sprüngli Ltd
Neal’s Yard Remedies
OneWelbeck
Sipsmith
Steinway & Sons
IN-KIND SPONSOR
Google Inc
Welcome to the Autumn/Winter 2024 edition of Tune In
We have a very busy and exciting season ahead, and are delighted to share some further insights in the pages that follow.
We open with some fantastic conductor news. We are delighted to announce that Edward Gardner has agreed to renew his contract as Principal Conductor until at least 2028. Karina Canellakis has also extended her Principal Guest Conductor contract until 2027, which – along with Vladimir Jurowski, who was awarded an Honorary KBE by His Majesty the King earlier this year –retains our enviable conductor lineup for years to come. We also share news of our two new Fellow Conductors, Matthew and Juya – full details on page 4.
In other personnel news, we are delighted that Mark Vines has been elected as the Orchestra’s new President, and Kate Birchall as Vice-President. You can get to know Mark more in the ‘Backstage’ feature on the back cover. Martin Höhmann has stepped down as President of the Orchestra, but you will still see him on stage as a member of our First Violin section.
On page 5 we explore Moments Remembered, the starting point for our 2024/25 season and the major theme running through many of this season’s concerts, community activities and preconcert talks. The article gives insight into the thinking behind the programmes, as well as opportunities to learn more through the insights of our first ever Writer-in-Residence, Jeremy Eichler. You can spot the themed concerts in the programme listings (pages 13–15) by the dandelion seedhead symbol.
In this issue we dedicate several pages to the incredible work we do away from the concert platform which many readers may not be aware of. On pages 10 and 11, Claudia, our Regional Partnerships Manager, gives an insight into her role and the many amazing partners and projects we are working with on the South Coast. On page 9 we hear about ‘Crisis Creates’, in which workshop leader Aga Serugo-Lugo works with Crisis members and London Philharmonic Orchestra musicians to develop a new work to perform together on the Royal Festival Hall stage – always one of the most emotive performances of the year.
There are also articles about our major Talent Development schemes: LPO Junior Artists, Foyle Future Firsts, LPO Young Composers and the LPO Conducting Fellowship. Earlier in the year we had an amazing night at Speaker’s House in the
CONTENTS
NEWS FROM THE PODIUM 04 MOMENTS REMEMBERED 05
NEW & NOTEWORTHY 06–08
CRISIS CREATES 09
SUMMER ON THE SOUTH COAST 10–11
LPO PEOPLE 12
CONCERT LISTINGS 13–15
BACKSTAGE: MARK VINES 16
Palace of Westminster that really highlighted the opportunities these schemes present (page 8). We were joined by Ivan, a cellist we first met at our BrightSparks schools concerts, who subsequently joined the LPO Junior Artists scheme and has just achieved a place at a conservatoire for next year; Thea, who was in the first cohort of Junior Artists in 2016, joined the Foyle Future Firsts scheme post-conservatoire, and has now progressed to being a regular extra player in the Orchestra; and Minn, who participated as a Foyle Future First before ultimately joining as a full member of the Orchestra in 2020, and who is now ViceChair of the Player Committee! We are so proud of everyone who comes through these projects.
We hope you enjoy reading this edition, and if you would like to know more about any of the schemes, or how to support them, just get in touch.
With best wishes,
STAY CONNECTED
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK facebook.com/londonphilharmonicorchestra
FOLLOW US ON X (FORMERLY TWITTER) X.com/LPOrchestra
WATCH US ON YOUTUBE youtube.com/londonphilharmonicorchestra
FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM instagram.com/londonphilharmonicorchestra
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK tiktok.com/lporchestra
NEWS FROM THE PODIUM
EDWARD GARDNER & KARINA CANELLAKIS EXTEND THEIR LPO CONTRACTS
We’re thrilled that both our Principal Conductor Edward Gardner and Principal Guest Conductor Karina Canellakis have recently extended their LPO contracts. Originally contracted until 2026, Ed has signed for a further two years, meaning he will be with us until at least 2028, while Karina has extended her contract for three years, until at least 2027.
Since succeeding Vladimir Jurowski in 2021, Edward Gardner has made his mark with ambitious performances at the Royal Festival Hall and beyond, including tours to South Korea, Taiwan and across Europe. His LPO Label recording of Tippett’s The Midsummer Marriage, captured live in his first concert as Principal Conductor, won a 2023 Gramophone Award, while his concerts during the LPO’s March 2024 festival ‘The Music in You’ garnered further praise, The Arts Desk writing of Haydn’s The Creation: ‘Edward Gardner keeping the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir on their dancing toes … it was a good time for happy creativity’. Other highlights included a reinvention of Szymanowski’s ballet Harnasie with choreographer Wayne McGregor; and Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins, described by The Telegraph as ‘surpassingly vivid’.
In the coming season Ed presents works including Rachmaninoff’s The Bells, Strauss’s Alpine Symphony, Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe and Mahler’s Symphony No. 8. In October 2024 he also leads the Orchestra on a major tour of the US. He said: ‘I’m thrilled to be extending my contract with the LPO for another two years. Our partnership so far has been packed with too many memorable performances to list, and this season promises plenty more as we look forward to performing and touring over the world. My relationship with the incredible musicians within the Orchestra is a very special one, growing with each project, and I feel so privileged to be able to tap into their huge passion and commitment.’
Since becoming Principal Guest Conductor in 2021, Karina Canellakis has also conducted many unforgettable LPO performances, selling out concerts at the Royal Festival Hall and Brighton Dome. She led the Orchestra on tour to Germany in 2023, and to Austria and Germany in February 2024, culminating in a performance at the Vienna Musikverein. She said: ‘I’ve had such a wonderful time conducting the LPO during the past three years and am thrilled to be working with them for a further three. It’s the response to the in-the-moment spontaneity that is so incredible with this Orchestra and which makes it an electrifying experience both for me and the audience. I can’t wait to continue making music together!’
EDWARD GARDNER’S POSITION AT THE LPO IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY AUD JEBSEN.
VLADIMIR JUROWSKI KBE
In February 2024 LPO Conductor Emeritus and former Principal Conductor Vladimir Jurowski was appointed an Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) by His Majesty King Charles III, in recognition of his services to music and the arts.
LPO FELLOW CONDUCTORS
We’re thrilled to welcome our new LPO Fellow Conductors for the 2024/25 season, Matthew Lynch and Juya Shin, who join the LPO family from September 2024. Guided by Principal Conductor Edward Gardner, they will become fully immersed in the life of the Orchestra over the next season.
Matthew and Juya were chosen from 139 applications from conductors wordwide, eight of whom were shortlisted to audition for a panel including LPO Principal Conductor Edward Gardner, President and First Violinist Martin Höhmann, Artistic Director Elena Dubinets and Chief Executive David Burke, as well as members of the Orchestra and the Board.
Launched last year, our flagship LPO Conducting Fellowship programme seeks to support the development of world-class conductors of the future. Each season, the programme offers an intensive opportunity to work closely with the Orchestra to two outstanding early-career conductors from backgrounds currently under-represented in the profession.
Juya Shin will make her LPO concert debut on 1 February 2025 at Brighton Dome, conducting a programme of RimskyKorsakov and Ravel with pianist Nicholas McCarthy. Matthew Lynch conducts the Orchestra at Eastbourne’s Congress Theatre on 23 February 2025 in a programme of Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Mozart, and Dvořák’s ‘New World’ Symphony. Both Juya and Matthew will also conduct a range of family and schools’ concerts, and other performances and events throughout the season. We can’t wait to work with them!
THE LPO CONDUCTING FELLOWSHIP IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY PATRICIA HAITINK WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM GINI AND RICHARD GABBERTAS.
Music is inextricably tied up with memory – we’ve all experienced the flood of recollections and emotions that rushes in when a certain melody starts to play. But personal memories can play tricks, and public memory – the stories, beliefs and monuments with which we create and sustain a society – is slippier still. Today’s hero might be tomorrow’s villain. That’s the concept behind Moments Remembered, the theme running through our 2024/25 season concerts.
Memory may deceive us, but the story around the naming of Beethoven’s Third Symphony really does seem to be true. Early in 1804, the composer’s assistant Ferdinand Ries saw the title page of the new symphony. It read, simply: ‘Bonaparte’. And Ries witnessed the reaction when Beethoven heard some time later that the great republican had crowned himself Emperor:
‘He flew into a rage … Beethoven went to the table, took hold of the title page, ripped it all the way through, and flung it on the floor. The symphony acquired a new name: “Sinfonia eroica [heroic symphony], composed to celebrate the memory of a great man”.’ And so it stands: not a portrait of a living hero, but a monument to a lost ideal. That’s the problem with memory. It’s how we make sense of the world. But personal memories can play tricks, and public memory – the stories, beliefs and monuments with which we create and sustain a society – is slippier still. As Beethoven realised, today’s hero might be tomorrow’s villain.
That’s the concept behind our Moments Remembered series, the thread of which weaves its way throughout our 2024/25 Royal Festival Hall season. ‘Certain events and people that used to be celebrated are now remembered very differently, and vice versa’, says Elena Dubinets, LPO Artistic Director. Yet for most of us, music is inextricably tied up with memory. We’ve all experienced the flood of recollections and emotions that rushes in when a certain melody starts to play.
The 2024/25 season is punctuated by pieces that grapple with these ideas –beginning with Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’, which Edward Gardner conducts, alongside works by Barber and Berlioz, in the opening Royal Festival Hall concert on 25 September 2024. Some were conceived as memorials: John Adams’s moving 9/11 memorial On the
Transmigration of Souls (conducted by Vladimir Jurowski on 18 January 2025), and Schoenberg’s tribute to the Holocaust victims, A Survivor from Warsaw (27 November 2024), are powerful public statements. Yet Berg’s Violin Concerto, dedicated ‘to the memory of an angel’, is rather more intimate (15 January 2025). And Britten’s fiercely personal Sinfonia da Requiem (4 October 2024) was not at all the official commemoration that its commissioners ordered – just as Strauss’s anguished Metamorphosen (15 January 2025) gave memories of Beethoven a troubling new relevance in the dying days of the Third Reich.
The music of contemporary American composer Evan Williams interrogates the whole notion of a shared, immutable musical memory – we’ll perform his Dead White Man Music on 22 January 2025, juxtaposed with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Julia Perry’s Vivaldi-inspired Requiem
Shostakovich’s 13th Symphony (performed alongside works by Schoenberg and Weinberg on 27 November 2024) challenged officially-sanctioned memory in the Soviet Union, while the music of Boris Lyatoshynsky has been reclaimed as a symbol of Ukrainian identity – Vladimir Jurowski conducts his Third Symphony alongside works by Prokofiev and Mussorgsky on 2 April 2025.
Music’s unique relationship with memory comes into play outside the concert hall too: during the season we’ll be working with organisations supporting people with memory loss, including a creative project with Headway East London, an organisation supporting adults with acquired brain injury, and a collaboration with Saffron Hall on their ‘Together In Sound’ music therapy project for people living with dementia in Saffron Walden and Braintree. We’ll also give chamber concerts at Age Concern and Shinewater Court Disabilities Trust in Eastbourne.
Throughout Moments Remembered we’re delighted to welcome scholar Jeremy Eichler – author of Time’s Echo, a new awardwinning book on music, war and memory (Faber, 2023) – as our first ever Writer-inResidence. During the season we’ll be drawing upon his expertise and knowledge to enhance the themes being explored through pre-concert talks, essays and programme notes (see pages 13–15 for full event listings).
‘Each of us consists of multiple types of memories’ says Elena Dubinets. ‘We epitomise our times, our countries, our families and our personal situations. What interests me is the crossroads of our feelings. And that’s the beauty of our art form: emotionally, it might inspire you to have very different reactions in any given moment.’ But one function of art is to help us ask questions. And in all its contradictory forms, memory –like music – is part of what makes us human.
Jeremy Eichler, who this season becomes the LPO’s first ever Writer-inResidence
NEW & NOTEWORTHY LPO NEWS
LPO BOARD UPDATE
Following the Orchestra’s AGM in April 2024, Martin Höhmann (First Violin) stood down from the role of LPO President after six remarkable years. During his tenure, Martin’s wise counsel and unwavering commitment have been pivotal to the Orchestra’s smooth running and exceptional standards, guiding it through many successes as well as periods of challenge, and helping to ensure our continued excellence throughout.
Subsequently, the Player Directors unanimously elected Co-Principal Horn Mark Vines as the new President. Mark has served exceptionally in the role of Vice-President since 2022 and, together with newly elected Vice-President Kate Birchall (Second Violin), we look forward to seeing him build upon Martin’s excellent work. Paying tribute to his predecessor, Mark Vines wrote:
‘On behalf of all the Players, I’d like to thank Martin Höhmann, who stepped down as LPO President in April this year, having led the Player Directors for two separate periods over a span of around 20 years. Fortunately, Martin is not leaving the LPO and remains a valued member of our First Violin section, as well as remaining on the Orchestra’s Advisory Council and the London Philharmonic Trust. The Orchestra has benefitted greatly from Martin’s steady and expert leadership over his time as President, including helping to steer the Orchestra through the challenges of Covid, and overseeing several changes at the top of the organisation in recent years. I have learned a lot from Martin in my role as Vice-President, and now look forward to building on his good work as President, with the help of a strong team of Player Directors including Kate Birchall as Vice-President and Minn Majoe as Vice-Chair of the Player Director Committee.’
GET TO KNOW LPO PRESIDENT MARK VINES IN THE ‘BACKSTAGE’ INTERVIEW ON PAGE 16.
In more Board news, we are delighted that Nigel Boardman has joined as Vice-Chair. A partner at Slaughter and May for 50 years, Nigel received many prestigious accolades in his professional career. He also chairs the charity Help for Heroes, is chair designate of The Medical College of Saint Bartholomew’s Hospital Trust, and serves on the audit committee of the British Museum.
We also recently welcomed Michelle Crowe Hernandez to the Board. Michelle has a strong background in fundraising, as well as a longstanding love of music, and we’re very glad that she will be sharing her experience with us. We’re also glad to welcome back David Buckley who has re-joined as a non-executive Director, and extend our grateful thanks to Andrew Tusa, who has retired from the Board at the end of his six-year term.
Newly elected as Player Directors are David Whitehouse (Trombone) and Simon Estell (Principal Contrabassoon). Kate Birchall (Second Violin) has been re-elected for a further three years; she and Minn Majoe (First Violin) also become Vice-Chairs of the Player Director Committee. We would like to thank Hugh Kluger (Double Bass), who stepped down at the end of his three-year term as a Player Director. lpo.org.uk/whoswho
AUTUMN ADVENTURES
In September the Orchestra travels to Japan with conductor Robin Ticciati and pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, performing in the cities of Hamamatsu, Nagoya and Osaka, as well as three concerts at Tokyo’s Suntory Hall. The Orchestra is delighted to be sponsored by HSBC for this tour.
October sees our first major tour of the USA in a decade, when we embark on a two-week tour with Principal Conductor Edward Gardner and violinists Randall Goosby and Patricia Kopatchinskaja. Spanning the country from West to East Coasts, the tour begins with concerts in four cities across California, before visits to cities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Connecticut and New York, including a performance at Carnegie Hall on 19 October – this will be both Ed Gardner and Patricia Kopatchinskaja’s debuts at the prestigious venue.
During November we’ll be touring closer to home, giving a series of concerts in Vienna and Germany with Edward Gardner and Víkingur Ólafsson. And later in the autumn we’re preparing for another big trip – a major tour of China at the end of December. With conductor Paavo Järvi and cellist Julia Hagen, we’ll perform in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing, before returning to the UK in the New Year.
FULL TOUR LISTINGS ON PAGE 15.
RECRUITING CLASSICAL
The LPO is proud to be part of the Recruiting Classical consortium, established in 2023 to drive diversity in the UK’s orchestral scene and make our sector more inclusive. In January 2024 the programme was recognised in with an Assocation of British Orchestras (ABO) Award.
In partnership with Black Lives in Music, alongside the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Bournemouth Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic and City of Birmingham Symphony orchestras, we’ve taken several practical steps to make our recruitment process more inclusive and transparent, including a more open audition process, a series of workshops to develop audition experience, and the formation of a shared ‘extras’ list between orchestras.
FIND OUT MORE blim.org.uk/recruiting-classical
L–R: Outgoing LPO President Martin Höhmann, his successor Mark Vines, and new Vice-President Kate Birchall
LPO NEWS
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
DEBUT SOUNDS 2024: SOUND IN MOTION
What happens when five exciting composers meet eight talented choreographers and are invited to create? On 27 June 2024, our 2023/24 LPO Young Composers and Foyle Future Firsts presented Debut Sounds, an annual concert at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall marking the culmination of their year with the LPO.
This year, the composers – Jasper Dommett, Eliana Echeverry, Zhenyan Li, Phoenix Rousiamanis and Crystalla Serghiou – created five thrilling new works for dance, with movement devised and performed by pairs of postgraduate choreographers from Trinity Laban, all under the mentorship of LPO Composer-in-Residence, Tania León. The works were performed by an ensemble of Foyle Future Firsts and LPO members, conducted by our two inaugural LPO Fellow Conductors, Luis Castillo-Briceño and Charlotte Politi.
Watch the concert for free on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/ londonphilharmonicorchestra
THE LPO YOUNG COMPOSERS PROGRAMME 2023/24 WAS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY ALLIANZ MUSICAL INSURANCE, THE ERNST VON SIEMENS MUSIC FOUNDATION, THE VAUGHAN WILLIAMS FOUNDATION AND THE MARCHUS TRUST.
THE FOYLE FUTURE FIRSTS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 2023/24 WAS GENEROUSLY FUNDED BY THE FOYLE FOUNDATION WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE BARBARA WHATMORE CHARITABLE TRUST, THE IDLEWILD TRUST, THE GOLSONCOTT FOUNDATION AND INDIVIDUAL CHAIR SUPPORTERS.
THE LPO CONDUCTING FELLOWSHIP IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY PATRICIA HAITINK WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM GINI AND RICHARD GABBERTAS.
WORKING WITH SCHOOLS IN LONDON & EASTBOURNE
In the summer term we were delighted to connect with 81 primary schools in London and Eastbourne through our BrightSparks concerts and brand new Music Makers project.
In May, we performed three BrightSparks concerts, welcoming over 4,300 school children aged 7–11 to experience the thrill of hearing and seeing the LPO live and up close. The concerts were presented by Rachel Leach and conducted by LPO Fellow Conductor Charlotte Politi, and featured Copland’s Appalachian Spring as well as other American and America-inspired music. Before the concerts, all teachers were invited to a free training session led by Rachel Leach, who introduced the repertoire and concert themes, and explored ideas for activities to do in class. Free written and audio resources further supported teachers to explore the music and help prepare their classes for their concert experience.
In addition to our two sold-out concerts at the Royal Festival Hall, we were excited to perform our very first schools concert at the Congress Theatre in Eastbourne. It was wonderful to hear so many children joining in with the participatory song ‘One Hundred Years Ago’ and enjoying their first live orchestral experience! One pupil told us: ‘I really liked all the different instruments and how you could really hear their tunes and it was pointed out – it was just so cool to see them all fit together!’
Supporting teachers and children to make music in school is essential to inspiring a lifelong love of music, and this year we launched a new project to do just that.
‘LPO Music Makers’ uses our BrightSparks concerts as a launchpad for in-school musical creativity, supporting both children’s creative music skills and teachers’ confidence in music-making in their school. For our first year delivering Music Makers, we have worked with two primary schools in South London and two in Eastbourne, working with 166 children and their teachers, under the guidance of animateur Rachel Leach. Participating classes attended our BrightSparks concerts at their local venue, and for most children it was their first experience of ever hearing a live orchestra. Each class then worked with Rachel and two LPO musicians in school workshops, using Copland’s Appalachian Spring as a creative starting point for music-making. Using school percussion, each class created original music, leading to a celebratory in-school performance in which our LPO musicians also demonstrated their instruments and performed to the audience.
A key aim of Music Makers is to build teachers’ confidence in music-making, supporting them to embed music across their school. We ran bespoke training sessions for staff at each school, exploring general music skills in the classroom, reaching 67 school staff (which could have a wider impact on as many as 800 children). One teacher told us: ‘I’ve always felt nervous about teaching music as I’m not musically trained. I feel that the strategies and activities today made me feel confident in teaching and inspiring children in music. Thank you!’
BRIGHTSPARKS 2023/24 WAS GENEROUSLY FUNDED BY THE ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATION WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE CANDIDE TRUST, DUNARD FUND, RIVERS FOUNDATION, TIOC FOUNDATION, MR & MRS PHILIP KAN AND GILL & JULIAN SIMMONDS.
BrightSparks concert in Eastbourne
Music Makers at Twin Oaks Primary School, Deptford
LPO NEWS
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
SUPPORTING THE FOYLE FUTURE FIRSTS
Now in its 20th year, our flagship Foyle Future Firsts programme forms part of the LPO’s commitment to nurture and develop the next generation of talent. Bridging the transition between education and the professional platform for outstanding early-career orchestral musicians, it is designed to nurture and develop talented orchestral players, forming the base for future appointments to the LPO and other world-class orchestras and ensembles.
Perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to hear the Foyle Future Firsts in action. Now’s your chance to invest in emerging musical talent: with an annual gift of £1,500, we invite you to join our family of LPO donors and help us sustain the pipeline of exceptional musicians.
In acknowledgement of their generosity, individuals can choose to have their name associated with the chair that they support. They will also be invited to special events and have opportunities to meet the player occupying their supported chair.
To find out more, please contact Rosie Morden at rosie.morden@lpo.org.uk or call 020 7840 4212.
WITH THANKS TO OUR INAUGURAL FOYLE FUTURE FIRST CHAIR SUPPORTERS: JUDY WRIGHTSON & TONY LLEWLLYN (VIOLIN); DAVID BURKE & VALERIE GRAHAM (CLARINET); MICHELLE CROWE HERNANDEZ (TUBA); SAM & JOHN DAWSON (PERCUSSION); AND MARIE POWER (PIANO). THE FOYLE FUTURE FIRSTS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE FOYLE FOUNDATION WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE BARBARA WHATMORE CHARITABLE TRUST.
LPO ON MARQUEE TV: EXCLUSIVE 50% DISCOUNT
This season we’ve once again joined with Marquee TV, the premium streaming service for arts and culture, to bring the LPO concert experience to you at home.
A selection of our live concerts during the 2024/25 season will be streamed to watch free of charge for the first 48 hours, with no subscription required. You can watch on a smart TV, tablet, computer or smartphone.
To find out which LPO concerts are coming to Marquee this season, sign up for email updates at lpo.org.uk/signup
Tune In readers can benefit from an exclusive 50% discount on a year’s subscription to Marquee TV, including new releases as well as its extensive back catalogue of the world’s best music, opera, theatre and dance. Head to discover.marquee.tv/50lpo and use code 50LPO
A MUSICAL EVENING IN PARLIAMENT
YolanDa Brown OBE introduces the performances
A key part of the LPO’s mission – sharing wonder through the power of orchestral music – is using our position to advocate for the arts at government level, ensuring that the vital role of orchestral music is recognised by the UK’s policymakers, and that the voices of those in our sector are heard.
On 19 March 2024 we welcomed 150 MPs, Peers and other guests to the Speaker’s House State Rooms in Parliament, generously hosted by the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle. The event celebrated 20 years of our Foyle Future Firsts programme and, more broadly, highlighted the industry-leading talent development work undertaken by the LPO. It featured a performance from our Foyle Future Firsts and Junior Artists, as well as a panel discussion chaired by YolanDa Brown OBE, with insights from current and former Junior Artists, Foyle Future Firsts, Young Composers and Fellow Conductors.
NOTES FROM DOWNING STREET
Coming up in November are two exciting releases on the LPO Label. The first is a disc of works by Michael Tippett conducted by Edward Gardner, pairing the Piano Concerto, performed by Steven Osborne, and the Symphony No. 2 (LPO-0129).
The second is a compilation of works by former LPO Composer-in-Residence Brett Dean, capturing seven performances –including several premiere recordings – from during his residency, including In spe contra spem, Amphitheatre, The Players, and the viola and cello concertos (LPO-0130).
Both releases will be available as physical CDs from retailers, as well as to stream or download via all major platforms including Apple Music Classical, Spotify and Amazon Music.
On 30 April 2024 members of the LPO were invited to give the inaugural concert in a new quarterly series, ‘Notes from Downing Street’, in the historic State Room at 11 Downing Street, showcasing the finest music-making from around the UK. Principal musicians of the London Philharmonic Orchestra performed music by ColeridgeTaylor, Gershwin and Duke Ellington for an audience comprising the Chancellor of the Exchequer, MPs, Ministers, supporters, and a range of other stakeholders. The concert was also broadcast by Classic FM.
CRISIS CREATES LPO EDUCATION & COMMUNITY
Now in its 13th year, our Crisis Creates project offers creative performance opportunities to adults who have experienced or are at risk of homelessness. Working in partnership with national charity Crisis UK, it aims to improve participants’ wellbeing and confidence through self-expression, collaboration and developing creative skills. Here’s how the participants in our latest project got on ...
In March 2024 we welcomed 17 participants to our latest ‘Crisis Creates’ project, run in partnership with Crisis, the UK’s national charity for people experiencing homelessness. Over the course of a week, participants were invited to take part in eight workshop sessions, during which – with the help of an LPO workshop leader and four LPO musicians –they created their own music inspired by the story of Romeo and Juliet.
The participants were all members of Crisis UK, and most were living in a range of temporary accommodation or ‘sofa-surfing’ set-ups. Many of them were also experiencing complex physical, cognitive and/or mental health challenges, making day-to-day life difficult.
During the week-long project, the group explored pieces of music by Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky based on Romeo and Juliet, and Mozart’s Violin Concerto. Workshop leader Aga Serugo-Lugo and the LPO musicians then supported the group in creating their own original songs, soundscapes and theatrical movement sequences inspired by what they’d heard. As well as getting to know the musicians and discovering more about the orchestra, some group members rediscovered long-forgotten musical talents of singing or playing an instrument, while others developed brand new vocal and instrumental skills.
Five original compositions created by the participants were combined into a new 30-minute work, which they titled ‘Daggers and Roses’. The group performed it on the Royal Festival Hall stage to an audience of over 300 in a public early-evening performance ahead of the LPO’s main concert on 22 March. The performance was also professionally filmed to provide the participants with a lasting record. Those taking part were then invited to stay and enjoy the LPO evening concert, which included the works introduced in the project: Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture, and Mozart’s Violin Concerto.
Established in 2012, the Crisis Creates project aims to enhance participants’ wellbeing and selfconfidence, and to combat the feelings of isolation that can often arise from precarious living situations. It was a joy to see the group members’ confidence grow and their relationships develop throughout the week as they shared ideas, took turns to lead the group in solos or conducting, supported each other to overcome anxiety and conquer performance nerves, and shared in the exhilaration and pride of the
IT MADE ME FEEL PROUD TO DO SOMETHING THAT WASN’T RELATED TO MY HOMELESSNESS ... I DIDN’T WANT IT TO END. CRISIS MEMBER
final performance. Afterwards, one participant reflected: ‘I loved the project; it made me feel special. I now want to do more music and I am going to join a choir if possible. Workers from my night shelter attended the performance, and it made me feel proud to do something that wasn’t related to my homelessness. I was thrilled to attend the evening concert with the Orchestra and didn’t want it to end.’ Another said: ‘I don’t go out because it’s scary and there’s gangs of people drinking and swearing, and I don’t need that, it’s not easy. But when you come in, when I come into the music … I just love it and it gives me that peaceful mind. When I go home, I know that I’ve done something.’
To find out more, visit lpo.org.uk/project/crisis-creates CRISIS CREATES IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY SCOPS ARTS TRUST.
Crisis Creates workshop, March 2024
Final performance of Daggers and Roses at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, 22 March 2024
SUMMER ON THE SOUTH COAST
Claudia Clarkson joined the LPO in 2023 in the newly-created role of Regional Partnerships Manager. She leads our initiatives that connect the LPO with communities along England’s South Coast, where we proudly hold residencies in both Eastbourne and Brighton, as well as at Glyndebourne Festival Opera. We joined Claudia for a whistlestop tour of her work over the last few months ...
As Regional Partnerships Manager, my role at the LPO is multifaceted, dynamic, and deeply rooted in community engagement. It can broadly be summed up under the following four areas:
Listening and engaging
At the core of my work is a commitment to listening intently to the heartbeat of the communities in our residency areas. By engaging in dialogue with local charities, arts organisations, councils, venues, libraries and arts hubs, I aim to understand their unique challenges and aspirations. This groundwork allows the LPO to tailor our initiatives to meet the specific needs of each community.
Building partnerships
My role involves orchestrating strategic engagements with community groups throughout the South Coast. From East Sussex to West Sussex, Adur to Arun, I work to establish and nurture partnerships that go beyond mere cultural exchange. By fostering meaningful connections, we not only support local initiatives but also empower communities to thrive.
Empowering through music
One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is harnessing the transformative power
of music to effect positive change. From tailored performances to targeted workshops and collaborative projects, we’re seeking to inspire, uplift, and empower people. Our aim is to create lasting impact, instilling a sense of confidence and expression through music in every corner of the South Coast.
Lasting connections
Collaborating with dedicated individuals who share a passion for using music as a catalyst for positive change is both exhilarating and fulfilling. We strive to weave the LPO into the fabric of the communities we serve, leaving a lasting legacy and mutually benefitting and inspiring both our communities and our own organisation. My role as Regional Partnerships Manager is not just about bringing music to the South Coast; it’s about building bridges, fostering connections, and empowering communities through collaborative initiatives that resonate long after the final note has faded. Here’s just a taste of what I’ve been up to over the last few months...
DAY TRIP TO BOGNOR
Setting off from my home in Brighton, today I’m on a train bound for Bognor Regis, 24 miles west. My destination: the heart of a community undergoing a transformative period. Amidst the backdrop of ongoing renovations lies the Regis Centre on the town’s seafront – a beacon of connection and cultural enrichment in a community striving to overcome a range of socioeconomic challenges. Currently closed for redevelopment until at least summer 2025, the venue, under the steadfast leadership of Jo and Caroline (pictured left), plus a dedicated team of volunteers, continues to uphold its commitment to fostering artistic expression, despite the current limitations. I was struck by the resilience and determination of the team.
Despite the temporary closure, their focus remains unwavering: to ensure that the cultural needs of the community are met, even without a space at hand.
During my visits, our discussions have centred on the importance of maintaining connections with their audiences while also building new ones, particularly maintaining offerings to their older core demographic, many of whom find companionship and solace in the arts. It became evident that a collaboration between the LPO and the Regis Centre presents a unique opportunity to bring chamber concerts to alternative venues in the Bognor area, ensuring continued access to high-quality musical performances for residents.
On 18 June we brought an LPO quartet to Bognor for a short performance and an informal post-concert coffee and chat with the audience. As our collaboration progresses, this is just the beginning of a larger journey. With the reopening of the Regis Centre on the horizon, we envision a future filled with diverse programming, educational initiatives and strengthened community ties.
Claudia (left) with the team at Bognor’s Regis Centre
LPO string quartet performance at the Salvation Army in Bognor Regis, June 2024
A QUICK DRIVE TO SHOREHAM
As the sun rises over Shoreham in West Sussex, this morning I’m immersed in the vibrant world of Soundcastle, a dynamic charity harnessing the power of music to uplift communities. Meeting with the passionate team, including their dedicated founder and music practitioners, we delve into discussions about their upcoming EP launch, the culmination of their ‘People’s Music’ programme, a transformative project working with individuals on a mental health recovery journey or struggling with feelings of isolation.
Over coffee, we outlined plans for our collaboration, weaving together the LPO’s musical expertise with Soundcastle’s grass-roots approach. Their commitment to addressing social isolation and supporting mental health recovery resonates deeply with the LPO’s aim to foster community resilience through the arts. Together, we mapped out a strategy to engage participants in rehearsals, where creativity will flow freely as we co-create music based on their recordings. We hope that this handson approach will not only empower participants but also strengthen bonds within the community, echoing the inclusive spirit at the heart of Soundcastle’s work.
The EP launch took place at AudioActive in Worthing on 14 June and was a huge success, with a harmonious blend of voices and instruments amplifying the voices of Shoreham’s diverse community. It was a day filled with collaboration, creativity and a shared sense of purpose – a snapshot of the transformative power of music in action!
COLLABORATION WITH WORTHING PHILHARMONIC
Today I’m off to Worthing, a hub of cultural activity nestled along the South Coast. Today’s agenda: a catchup with the Music Director of the Worthing Philharmonic, an amateur orchestra as diverse as the coastal communities it serves. In the town’s historic Assembly Rooms, I meet Dominic Grier, whose passion for music resonates in every note played by his orchestra. Dominic first suggested the idea: could we offer a handful of LPO players to join the Worthing Philharmonic’s ranks, lending expertise and support in the lead-up to their concerts? It’s an opportunity to foster collaboration across musical boundaries, uniting players from different backgrounds in pursuit of a shared artistic vision.
Our players have immersed themselves in the orchestra’s rehearsals, sitting side-byside with their counterparts, sharing insights, and offering guidance where needed. As our players take their places among Worthing Philharmonic’s ranks, they become not just ambassadors of music, but catalysts for artistic growth and collaboration.
BLACK ROBIN FARM: WHERE THE ARTS MEET AGRICULTURE
Today I find myself amid the rustic charm of Black Robin Farm, just outside Eastbourne, accompanied by the Chief Executive of Lewes and Eastbourne Councils, Robert Cottrill. And yes, you read that right – a farm! Nestled in the heart of the South Downs, this humble farm has recently been granted
planning permission to transform itself into a vibrant cultural hub – a collaboration between the council and the renowned Towner art gallery, just a hop, skip and jump away from Eastbourne. Picture this: rolling countryside vistas, the gentle sway of the South Downs, and the sweet scent of freshly-tilled soil – all mingling harmoniously with the buzz of artistic creativity. As Robert and I strolled through the farm’s idyllic landscapes, he painted a vivid picture of the future – a future where Black Robin Farm becomes a haven for artists seeking solace and inspiration, a playground for walkers eager to explore the bounties of local produce, and a treasure trove of creative education initiatives catering to all ages. With planning submissions underway and hopes set high for a grand opening in spring 2025, the excitement is palpable. And amidst the flurry of anticipation, we find ourselves eagerly awaiting the opportunity to lend our support to this groundbreaking endeavour. I can’t wait to tell you more!
Sign up to our South Coast mailing list: email southcoast@lpo.org.uk
If you know of an organisation we should meet, Claudia would love to hear from you! Email claudia.clarkson@lpo.org.uk or give her a call on 07721 406776.
THE LPO’S ACTIVITIES WITH SOUTH COAST COMMUNITIES ARE GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY TIOC FOUNDATION AND DONORS TO THE LPO’S ‘ARTS FOR IMPACT’ BIG GIVE CAMPAIGN.
A tour of Black Robin Farm
LPO musicians lend their support to the Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra
Rehearsal at Soundcastle in Shoreham
FAREWELLS
At the end of the 2023/24 season we said farewell to Rachel Masters , who retired after 35 years as the LPO’s Principal Harp, making her one of the longest-serving members of the Orchestra. Rachel’s long-time colleagues Simon Carrington (Principal Timpani) and Andy Barclay (Principal Percussion) reflected:
‘The harpist is pivotal in any orchestra: as well as the wonderfully lavish candenzas one might hear in a Tchaikovsky ballet score or the gorgeously rich writing of Debussy or Ravel, they are often there underscoring proceedings – a not necessarily obvious, but always crucial, part of the texture. Rachel’s contributions have consistently been exemplary, and the strength, reliability and beauty of her playing (and her excellent rhythm and placement) will be sorely missed by the LPO, as will her often forthright and always entertaining exchanges with conductors! She has also been a model of diligence over the years, spending hours not only practising but often having to rewrite unplayable parts written by contemporary composers(!). Rachel has been one of the great characters of orchestral life over the years and we will all miss her immeasurably.’
At the end of last season we said goodbye to Elisabeth Wiklander, who had been a member of the Orchestra’s Cello section since 2013. We wish Elisabeth and her family well in their new life in Sweden.
We also said goodbye to Co-Principal Viola Richard Waters after four years with the Orchestra. We wish him all the best for the future.
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to LPO First Violin Cassandra Hamilton, who married bass trombonist James Buckle on 6 May; Principal Clarinet Benjamin Mellefont, who married cellist Deni Teo on 20 May; and Marketing Manager Sophie Lonergan (née Harvey), who married Aidan Lonergan on 25 May.
LPO PEOPLE LPO NEWS
WELCOME
In March 2024 we welcomed new Sub-Principal Cello Waynne Kwon. Born in South Korea and raised in Australia, Waynne is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, and has previously played as Guest Principal with the LPO, as well as with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Manchester Camerata.
David Lale, who has been a member of the section for several years, has been promoted to the No. 4 Cello position. Congratulations!
KENNETH GOODE
Members of the LPO were saddened to hear of the death of Kenneth Goode on 28 July 2024.
Ken retired from the LPO Double Bass section in 2009 after 46 years as a member of the Orchestra, which included several years as Co-Principal and later Principal. Alongside his playing duties, Ken was also honorary administrator of the Orchestra’s Benevolent Fund for 27 years. In recognition of his long playing career and unstinting voluntary work for the Benevolent Fund, on his retirement the Orchestra bestowed on Ken the rare accolade of Honorary Life Membership.
Ken loved cricket, sports cars and playing his bass in equal measure. However, it will be his unstinting good humour and positive attitude that most will remember. When meeting Ken, you would always be met with a broad smile and kind remark. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time.
NEWS FROM THE LPC
Neville Creed, Artistic Director of the London Philharmonic Choir, has announced that he will retire in summer 2025. Recruitment for his successor is underway and we look forward to sharing more news soon.
In June, the Choir announced Victoria Longdon as its new Associate Chorus Director. Her appointment is the first step in the Choir’s succession plan to ensure it continues to prosper following Neville’s retirement.
IN THE OFFICE
In February Eleanor Jones joined the team as our new Education & Community Project Manager, looking after our schools and community programmes.
Eleanor Conroy was promoted to Development Events Manager in April, taking over the reins from Katurah Morrish. The Development team also welcomed Corporate Relations Manager Owen Mortimer in May, succeeding Siân Jenkins, and Development Assistant Holly Eagles in September.
In May Georgie Blyth joined the Marketing team as Press & PR Manager, stepping into the shoes of Ruth Haines. In August the team said farewell to Hayley Kim, and welcomed Josh Clark as Data, Insights & CRM Manager. Congratulations to Izzi Jones, who has been promoted to Marketing Co-ordinator.
In May Tom Cameron joined our Concerts team as Concerts and Tours Assistant, succeeding Robert Winup. In July we said goodbye to Orchestra and Auditions Manager Felix Lo, and welcomed his successor Helen Phipps, as well as new Concerts & Recordings Co-ordinator Dora Kmezić, in September. Congratulations to Benjamin Wakley, who has been promoted to the new role of Deputy Stage Manager.
In August we said goodbye to Chantelle Vircavs, PA to the Executive and Employee Relations Manager.
ADVISORY COUNCIL
We were delighted to welcome Jane Coulson, Lena Fankhauser and Daisuke Tsuchiya to the Orchestra’s Advisory Council during the spring. They each bring a considerable amount of expertise in various fields, and we look forward to their fresh and useful perspectives.
The following members recently stepped down from the Council: David Buckley (whom we are glad to welcome back as a Board member), Sir Alan Collins, Marianna Hay, Amanda Hill, Rehmet Kassim-Lakha, Barry Smith and Martin Southgate. We would like to thank each of them for their service to the Orchestra and their generosity with their time and expertise over a number of years. WHO’S WHO AT THE LPO? lpo.org.uk/whoswho
Booking fees apply: £3.50 online, £4 telephone. No transaction fees for in-person bookings, Southbank Centre Members, Supporters Circles and Patrons.
Unless otherwise stated, all Southbank Centre concerts are at the Royal Festival Hall and start at 7.30pm.
Edward Gardner’s position with the LPO in the 2024/25 season is generously supported by Aud Jebsen.
Concerts indicated by this icon are part of the ‘Moments Remembered’ series.
Wednesday 25 September 2024
Joyce DiDonato sings Berlioz
Barber Medea’s Dance of Vengeance
Berlioz The Death of Cleopatra Beethoven Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)
Edward Gardner conductor
Joyce DiDonato soprano
Saturday 28 September 2024
7.00pm (Please note start time)
Edward Gardner conducts Rachmaninoff
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3
Rachmaninoff The Bells (Choral Symphony)
Edward Gardner conductor
Leif Ove Andsnes piano
Kristina Mkhitaryan soprano
Dmytro Popov tenor
Kostas Smoriginas bass-baritone
London Philharmonic Choir
Friday 4 October 2024
Patricia Kopatchinskaja plays Shostakovich
Britten Sinfonia da Requiem
Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1
Sibelius Symphony No. 5
Edward Gardner conductor
Patricia Kopatchinskaja violin
Concert generously supported by Victoria Robey CBE
Friday 25 October 2024
A Hero’s Life
Ravel Mother Goose (complete ballet)
Bruch Violin Concerto No. 2
R Strauss Ein Heldenleben
Mark Elder conductor James Ehnes violin
Saturday 26 October 2024 | 12 noon
FUNharmonics Family Concert: Stan and Mabel
Michael Seal conductor
Polly Ives presenter
The London Philharmonic Orchestra and presenter Polly Ives tell the lively story of music-loving dog and cat Stan and Mabel, based on the book by Jason Chapman with music by Paul Rissmann. Join in the free pre-concert foyer activities from 10am–12 noon (concert ticket-holders only).
Adults £16–24, children £8–12
Wednesday 30 October 2024
6.30pm (Please note start time)
Karina Canellakis conducts Schumann & Bruckner
R Schumann Overture, Manfred
R Schumann Cello Concerto Bruckner Symphony No. 4
Karina Canellakis conductor
Truls Mørk cello
Saturday 2 November 2024
Tchaikovsky’s Sixth
Saariaho Lumière et Pesanteur
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique)
Karina Canellakis conductor Vadym Kholodenko piano
Wednesday 6 November 2024
Víkingur Ólafsson plays Brahms
Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 Freya Waley-Cohen
Mother Tongue (world premiere)* Bartók The Miraculous Mandarin Suite
Edward Gardner conductor Víkingur Ólafsson piano
*Commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra
6.15–6.45pm | Free pre-concert event
Royal Festival Hall
Edward Gardner and Freya Waley-Cohen discuss the world premiere of Mother Tongue
Wednesday 27 November 2024
A Dark Century
Schoenberg A Survivor from Warsaw
Weinberg Violin Concerto
Shostakovich Symphony No. 13 (Babi Yar)
Andrey Boreyko conductor Gidon Kremer violin
Alexander Roslavets narrator/bass*
London Philharmonic Choir
*Please note change of artist from previously advertised
6.15–6.45pm | Free pre-concert event
Royal Festival Hall
LPO 2024/25 Writer-in-Residence
Jeremy Eichler gives a talk on this evening’s programme.
Friday 29 November 2024
Swan Lake
Weber Overture, Oberon Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme Tchaikovsky Selections from Swan Lake
Tianyi Lu conductor* Zlatomir Fung cello
*Please note that following the sad news of Sir Andrew Davis’s death, Tianyi Lu will now conduct this concert.
Saturday 14 December 2024
3.00pm & 7.30pm
Southbank Centre: Christmas Classics
Michael England conductor
Tickets £30–£57, via Southbank Centre
Ticket Office and website only
LPO AUTUMN 2024
CONCERT LISTINGS
AROUND THE UK
Saturday 21 September 2024 | 2.30pm Royal Albert Hall, London royalalberthall.com | 020 7589 8212
Wagner Overture, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 Holst The Planets
Christopher Warren-Green conductor Tom Poster piano The Bach Choir
Edward Gardner conductor Patricia Kopatchinskaja violin
6.45pm | Free pre-concert event
Enjoy the sound of local young talent, as musicians from West Sussex Music, the music education hub for West Sussex, give a special free performance in the Brighton Dome foyer.
Sunday 27 October 2024 | 3.00pm
Congress Theatre, Eastbourne eastbournetheatres.co.uk | 01323 412000
Sibelius Finlandia
Dvořák Cello Concerto
Beethoven Symphony No. 7
Vinay Parameswaran conductor
Sterling Elliott cello
Sunday 17 November 2024 | 3.00pm
Congress Theatre, Eastbourne eastbournetheatres.co.uk | 01323 412000
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
Alevtina Ioffe conductor
Blake Pouliot violin
Friday 22 November 2024 | 7.00pm
Forum Theatre, Malvern malvern-theatres.co.uk | 01684 892277
Weber Overture, Der Freischütz Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4
Dvořák Symphony No. 8
Martin Rajna conductor Isata Kanneh-Mason piano
Saturday 23 November 2024 | 7.30pm Brighton Dome Concert Hall brightondome.org | 01273 709709
Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme Tchaikovsky Selections from Swan Lake
Tianyi Lu conductor
Zlatomir Fung cello
Sunday 8 December 2024 | 3.00pm Congress Theatre, Eastbourne eastbournetheatres.co.uk | 01323 412000
Mozart Overture, The Marriage of Figaro
R Strauss Horn Concerto No. 2
Dvořák Symphony No. 8
Valentina Peleggi conductor Ben Goldscheider horn
2.15pm | Free pre-concert event
Enjoy the sound of local young talent, as musicians from Create Music, the music education hub for Brighton & Hove and East Sussex, give a special free performance in the Congress Theatre foyer.
INTERNATIONAL CONCERTS
JAPAN TOUR, SEPTEMBER 2024
THE ORCHESTRA IS DELIGHTED TO BE SPONSORED BY HSBC FOR THIS TOUR.
All concerts are with: Robin Ticciati conductor Nobuyuki Tsujii piano
Friday 6 September 2024 | 7.00pm Act City, Hamamatsu hcf.or.jp
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor)
Beethoven Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)
Saturday 7 September 2024 | 2.00pm Aichi Prefectural Art Theater, Nagoya nagoya-phil.or.jp
Beethoven Overture, Egmont
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3
Beethoven Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)
Sunday 8 September 2024 | 2.00pm Festival Hall, Osaka festivalhall.jp
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor)
Mahler Symphony No. 5
Tuesday 10 September 2024 | 2.00pm Suntory Hall, Tokyo suntory.com
Beethoven Overture, Egmont
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor)
Wednesday 11 September 2024 | 7.00pm Suntory Hall, Tokyo Programme as 8 September, Osaka
Thursday 12 September 2024 | 7.00pm
Suntory Hall, Tokyo
Programme as 7 September, Nagoya
CONCERT LISTINGS LPO AUTUMN 2024
US TOUR, OCTOBER 2024
THE LPO’S AUTUMN 2024 US TOUR IS MADE POSSIBLE WITH THE SUPPORT OF DUNARD FUND USA AND THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA.
Wednesday 9 October 2024 | 7.30pm
Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, Davis, California mondaviarts.org
Edward Gardner conductor Patricia Kopatchinskaja violin
Saturday 12 October 2024 | 7.00pm Granada Theatre, Santa Barbara, California granadasb.org
Programme as 11 October, Costa Mesa
Tuesday 15 October 2024 | 8.00pm Foellinger Auditorium, University of Illinois, Urbana foellinger.illinois.edu
Programme as 11 October, Costa Mesa
Wednesday 16 October 2024 | 8.00pm
DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, University of Notre Dame, Indiana performingarts.nd.edu
Tania León Raíces (Origins)
Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1
Sibelius Symphony No. 5
Edward Gardner conductor Patricia Kopatchinskaja violin
Thursday 17 October 2024 | 7.30pm
Wharton Center for Performing Arts, East Lansing, Michigan whartoncenter.com
Programme as 9 October, Davis
Friday 18 October 2024 | 8.00pm
Hill Auditorium, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor thehillauditorium.com
Tania León Raíces (Origins)
Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1
Britten Sinfonia da Requiem Sibelius Symphony No. 5
Edward Gardner conductor Patricia Kopatchinskaja violin
Saturday 19 October 2024 | 8.00pm Carnegie Hall, New York carnegiehall.org
Programme as 18 October, Ann Arbor
Sunday 20 October 2024 | 2.00pm
Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, Long Island University, New York tillescenter.org
Programme as 9 October, Davis
Monday 21 October 2024 | 6.00pm Grace Farms, Connecticut gracefarms.org
Jessie Montgomery Strum
Ravel Le Tombeau de Couperin
Mozart Symphony No. 40
Luis Castillo-Briceño conductor
Saturday 9 November 2024 | 3.30pm
Musikverein, Vienna musikverein.at
Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1
Beethoven Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)
Edward Gardner conductor Víkingur Ólafsson piano
Sunday 10 November 2024 | 5.00pm Festspielhaus, Baden-Baden, Germany festspielhaus.de
Programme as 9 November, Vienna
Monday 11 November 2024 | 8.00pm Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany alteoper.de
Programme as 9 November, Vienna
Tuesday 12 November 2024 | 8.00pm Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg, Germany elbphilharmonie.de
Tania León Raíces (Origins) Bartók Suite, The Miraculous Mandarin Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1
Edward Gardner conductor Víkingur Ólafsson piano
Wednesday 13 November 2024 | 8.00pm Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg, Germany elbphilharmonie.de
Wagner Overture, Tannhäuser R Schumann Cello Concerto Beethoven Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)
Edward Gardner conductor Pablo Ferrández cello
Thursday 14 November 2024 | 7.30pm Konzerthaus, Dortmund, Germany konzerthaus-dortmund.de
Programme as 12 November, Hamburg
Friday 15 November 2024 | 8.00pm Tonhalle, Düsseldorf, Germany tonhalle.de
Programme as 9 November, Vienna
Monday 30 December 2024–Sunday 5 January 2025
China tour: see lpo.org.uk for full details
Congratulations on your appointment, Mark! What is the role of the LPO’s Player Directors, and what will your responsibilities be as President?
The LPO has a proud status as a selfgoverning orchestra, fully owned by the member musicians; the Player Directors’ role is not only to represent those musicians but to help to steer the overall direction of the organisation. As President I’m already finding myself fully immersed and involved in all aspects of the Orchestra’s day-today life: from representing the players and liaising with our management team, to building relationships with our conductors and guest artists, meeting our supporters, and generally advocating for the LPO wherever possible. It’s a steep learning curve and I’m lucky to be able to draw on the expertise and advice of so many people within and outside the organisation. I also have to remember that, despite all the additional responsibilities, I’m first and foremost a horn player in the LPO, and I still have to perform on stage and continue to meet the high standards that we all set for ourselves. However, that is also one of the most rewarding parts of the job – to not only be involved in various stages of the planning as it all comes together, but to still be an integral part of the final performance.
How did your musical career begin?
I kind of fell into music more by accident than design. When I was nine, a teacher came to our school offering ‘auditions’ to take up brass lessons, which consisted of passing a euphonium around and seeing if we could get a note out of it! I succeeded and was given a tenor horn to learn, before moving onto French horn a few months later. I then joined the Hampshire County Youth Orchestra, which was (and still is) one of the top county ensembles – we have three alumni in the LPO, including two of us in the horn section. I loved my time in that orchestra, travelling the world, playing great music and making good friends. In the end I just didn’t want to stop doing that, so ended up taking it up professionally so that I wouldn’t have to! I’ve never regretted it, and it’s so important that today’s children are given the same opportunities so that we can nurture the next generation of accidental professional musicians.
LPO PEOPLE
BACKSTAGE
MARK VINES
Mark has been Co-Principal Horn of the LPO since 2011. He is also one of the Player Directors who represent the Orchestra’s members on the Board of Directors; from 2022–2024 he was Vice-President of the Board; and in April this year became President.
Earlier in your career you spent 13 years as Principal Horn of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. What was that experience like?
I loved living and working in Hong Kong; I was young when I went out there and it’s such an amazing city to be a young person with a disposable income for the first time in your life! I still have close friends there, and try to visit whenever I can (especially if I can combine it with an LPO tour to Asia!). The biggest difference in working life was how relaxed the schedule was, compared to the intensity of London orchestral life; that said, standards were still high, the concerts were good, and we worked with great conductors and soloists. I have many career highlights from those years and I’d always recommend spending time working abroad to any young player.
What do you think distinguishes the LPO from other orchestras, or makes it special?
The thing that struck me when I first joined was how the pride fostered in the musicians by owning the Orchestra manifests itself in such wholehearted commitment to each and every performance. I struggle to recall a concert when the Orchestra has ‘dialled it in’, even during the extreme fatigue of a long-haul tour. You’ll never see an LPO concert where the Orchestra gives any less than 100%, and I think that is felt by our audiences. There are many fine orchestras around the world, but that commitment and sense of everyone pulling together isn’t something to be taken for granted.
The LPO has a busy few months ahead, with visits to Japan, the USA and Europe in the autumn, followed by China over New Year. Do you enjoy touring?
I do! The social side is amazing and the players really get to know each other on these trips. The concerts are often some of my favourites too, as we’re constantly playing to new audiences in great and often iconic halls (such as Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Carnegie Hall in New York and the Musikverein in Vienna, all on the schedule this autumn). There’s no denying that it’s exhausting, though – we’re very often travelling between cities and performing every day, and the jetlag on the long-haul trips can be brutal.
What do you like to do to enjoy yourself or unwind when you’re not working?
A few years ago I started participating in triathlons, so I love to get out running, cycling or swimming when I can – the running is easier to fit around work, but it takes more time and planning for the other two! In recent years I’ve also taken up standup paddleboarding, which is great fun.
Can you pick out a highlight from the Orchestra’s Royal Festival Hall concerts that you’re most looking forward to this autumn?
As a horn player, it’s hard to look far beyond a performance of Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben, which we’re playing with Sir Mark Elder on 25 October. It’s one of the pinnacles of the late Romantic repertoire, and the horn parts are epic!
Newsletter published by the London Philharmonic Orchestra 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP Tel: 020 7840 4200 • Ticket Office: 020 7840 4242 admin@lpo.org.uk • lpo.org.uk
