Bottom line, if you want the profile, play the game. With everyone. Otherwise, eventually, no one will talk about you. At all. Early on in my career I learned that agreeing to an interview meant committing to turning up, on time, engaged, respectful and appreciative. Mostly it was the sense of commitment that dominated. A sort unwritten rule. I’ve been late on occasions, and on one awful day I even got my dates mixed up. Everyone was accommodating; I was consumed by shame. This year, there have been three interviewees who didn’t appear for an interview either on time or at all. One blamed the ..read more

Based on a fairly rough and ready comparison, Dresden Philharmonic’s Russian London programme of Mussorgsky, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky last night was the best orchestral concert I’ve heard in Cadogan Hall for a long long time. Possibly even ever. Last night the visiting orchestra demonstrated their agility in mastering the hall’s acoustic in the hall to create a musical event that had weight, depth and poignancy.    Soloist Maria loudenitch’s self-assured consistent tone played a critical role in this demanding work that takes in torment, anguish, intense introspection and fierce ..read more

Marsalis’s entertaining new work is exactly what classical needs right now In an audacious piece of pre-publicity, Alison Balsom – the soloist premiering Wynton Marsalis’s new trumpet concerto with the LSO in London said that she would over the next few weeks of performances “struggle to contain my excitement about this historic moment for my instrument.” It’s not difficult to see why. Marsalis’s latest concerto is a welcome return for the composer, building on the instantly likeable folksy violin concerto he wrote for Nicola Benedetti. The Marsalis trademark is evident here: appealing hooks ..read more

It’s been a while since I tuned in to Radio 3. I took a break last year, partly due to the BBC Singers’ saga, the Clive Myrie Proms Thing and a myriad of other things which left me thinking a bit alienated from the station. Stepping back has been refreshing. With Radio 3’s new lineup, there’s an opportunity to revisit. The old adage rings true: a change really is as good as a rest.  There’s a sense at the beginning of Tom Service’s first Saturday Morning show that Radio 3 is relaunching. Service’s show has a lightness to it which is appealing for the time of day its broadcast. At the same ..read more

A Mongolian Emperor, two eager marketing executives, a misfit heir, a nun, and a bit of horseplay all come together in a jumbled depiction of Salieri’s rarely performed, sometimes crazy opera, ‘Cublai, gran kan de’ Tartari’. Penned in 1787 to a libretto by Giambattista Casti, Cublai is a comic opera with pertinent themes. Politics and culture collide in the tale of the culture-loving Kublai Khan, ruler of the Tartars, who awaits the arrival of Princess Alzima intended for marriage to his son Lipi. But, Lipi’s upbringing by Priest Posega has left Khan’s son at best naive – a seemingly problemat ..read more

Composer Dani Howard’s first album release celebrates her technicolour orchestration in a range of orchestral works including the whimsical Trombone Concerto that lit up Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall mid-pandemic. Composer Dani Howard consistently delivers vibrant and captivating compositions. Whether scoring for a grand orchestral ensemble or chamber opera, Howard’s work is an increasingly trusted offer on any programme. Her compositions have a youthful zing about them, immersing new listeners in something new and fresh, giving permission for a spot of imagination and wonder. Her musical lang ..read more

Backstage with the London Philharmonic Orchestra on Sky Arts achieves a rare feat: it captivates both seasoned fans and newcomers alike, offering a dynamic celebration of a world-renowned orchestra at the same time as tempting viewers with the behind the scenes preparations for the performance of an epic symphony. The engaging series ticks numerous boxes, and a complete performance of Mahler 2 as well. Over the course of four episodes, each section of the orchestra basks in the spotlight, with key players such as Mark Templeton, Paul Beniston (trumpet), Ronald Long (violin), Hugh Kluger (Doubl ..read more

Dreary school concerts attended by a reluctant audience. A traumatic experience of practical music-making School concerts were a special kind of ordeal when I was a teenager. Always scheduled on Sunday evenings, the prospect of performing in one curtailed the weekends for spectators and performers. School uniforms had to be put on. Car journeys embarked upon. An audience of disgruntled boarders shored up the embarrassingly low attendance. It was in some respects quite miserable music-making.   Pieces practiced in dusty practice rooms became a form of self-inflicted punishment wh ..read more

Dance re-imagined with the help of a little artificial intelligence Tania León Raices (world premiere) Maurice Ravel La Valse Wayne McGregor and Ben Cullen Williams A Body for Harnasie (based on Syzmanowski’s Harnasie) London Philharmonic Orchestra Edward Gardner conductor    Royal Festival Hall Tuesday 6 March 2024 A theatrical program presented by the London Philharmonic Orchestra including a world premiere from composer-in-residence Tania Leon, a taut Ravel’s La Valse, and an innovative new work A Body for Harnasie by Wayne McGregor and Ben Cullen Williams, drawing inspi ..read more

Mark Ravenhill’s ‘Ben and Imo’ exposes Britten’s flaws and Holst’s steadfast support, revealing complex dynamics and emotional depth. The narrative challenges perceptions of both, offering a raw look at their partnership and individual struggles. Samuel Barnett and Victoria Yeates bring the characters of Benjamin Britten and Imogen Holst in Mark Ravenhill’s two-person play “Ben and Imo” to life, offering a glimpse into the tumultuous creation of Gloriana, a new opera for the 1953 Coronation celebrations at Covent Garden.  Barnett and Yeates deliver captivating performances throughout, sk ..read more