London Symphony OrchestraLiving Music

Summer 2013 with the London Symphony Orchestra

Discovering Britten with Michael Tilson Thomas

and Yo-Yo Ma

BMW LSO Open Air Classics in Trafalgar Square

Antonio Pappano Tchaikovsky Symphonies

Plus events coming up at LSO St Luke’sBox Office

020 7638 8891 lso.co.uk

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2 BMW LSO Open Air Classics

Richard Morrison, The Times

When the music stopped, a football-style roar erupted.

Guy Dammann, The GuardianThe LSO were on cracking form.

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 3

BMW LSO Open Air Classics Mon 27 May 6.30pm, Trafalgar Square

Berlioz Overture: Le corsaireBerlioz arr Glyn Selections from Symphonie fantastique*Berlioz Symphonie fantastique

Valery Gergiev conductorRachel Leach presenterLondon Symphony Orchestra LSO On Track with Guildhall Musicians *

Free entry, arrive early to secure your placeNo glass or furniture is allowed in the square

WATCH A FILM See the highlights from last year’s BMW LSO Open Air Classics event attended by 10,000 people at lso.co.uk/openair youtube.com/lso

WHAT THE AUDIENCE SAID Comments from the the social networks, all in one easy place to give you a feel for the event bit.ly/bmwlso2012

Valery Gergiev, Principal Conductor

I am delighted to return to Trafalgar Square after our outstanding success last year. Performing Berlioz’s brilliant Symphonie fantastique to a vast crowd of every age in one of London’s iconic locations is again a unique opportunity for everyone – I am thrilled.

Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Thu 16 May 7.30pm

Shostakovich Violin Concerto No 1Tchaikovsky Symphony No 5

Sir Antonio Pappano conductorChristian Tetzlaff violin

Supported by Baker & McKenzie LLP

Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Sun 19 May 7.30pm

Lutosławski Concerto for OrchestraTchaikovsky Symphony No 4

Sir Antonio Pappano conductor

4 Pappano’s Tchaikovsky ~ Gergiev at 60

Richard Fairman, Financial Times

Nobody can accuse Pappano of underplaying the drama when he leaves behind the opera house pit to make music in the concert hall.

Pappano’s TchaikovskySymphonies Nos 4 & 5

For many music-lovers, Sir Antonio Pappano’s name is closely associated with the world of opera. Beginning his career as a rehearsal accompanist for the New York City Opera, aged just 21, he then assisted Daniel Barenboim at the Bayreuth Festival for a number of years, before stints as Music Director at opera companies in Oslo and Brussels. He is now Music Director of the Royal Opera House, a position he has held since 1999, where he conducts some of the most intense, impassioned and theatrical music in existence.

Yet, despite these stellar credentials, Pappano is by nomeans just an opera conductor. As Music Director of the prestigious Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, as well as a guest conductor of the LSO for over a decade, he clearly relishes the opportunity to swap the orchestra pit for the concert hall. And, unsurprisingly for a musician who describes himself as ‘restless and curious’, his growing focus on the symphonic repertoire has been something of an exploration. In his own words, it has ‘opened up a world to me … The broadening of my knowledge and the possibilities in terms of expressing emotion without words has been important for me’.

Pappano returns to the LSO in May to conduct Tchaikovsky’s Fourth and Fifth Symphonies, works that are purely orchestral yet not so far away from the world of electrifying drama and emotional outpourings that opera inhabits. Both are fixated on the theme of fate: the Fourth’s melancholic mood was inspired by a personal breakdown the composer experienced in the wake of a reckless, ill-advised marriage; the Fifth charts a course from a sombre opening to an optimistic finale. While the works are concert hall staples and pillars of the symphonic tradition, they are brimming over with drama, storytelling and emotional intensity – qualities that Pappano is sure to illuminate in his conducting.

Valery Gergiev’s 60th Birthday Gala Concert Wed 22 May 7.30pm

Shostakovich Piano Concerto No 2Paganini ‘Rondo’ from Violin Concerto No 2Ravel Tzigane for Violin and OrchestraSarasate Zigeunerweisen for Violin and OrchestraBerlioz Act V from ‘The Trojans’

Valery Gergiev conductorLeonidas Kavakos violinAlexander Toradze pianoSoloists include: Ekaterina Semenchuk DidonSergei Semishkur AeneasLondon Symphony Chorus

Supported by the Rothermere Foundation in memory of the Third Viscount

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 5

Gergiev at 60Birthday Gala

As his sixth season as Principal Conductor of the LSO draws to a close, Valery Gergiev also marks a milestone in his life and career in a concert to celebrate his 60th birthday. An artist whose association with the LSO began 25 years ago as a guest conductor, his leadership over the past six seasons has cemented the Orchestra’s reputation for daring programming and audacious performances.

Soloists Alexander Toradze and Leonidas Kavakos, both artists with whom he shares a natural kinship and with whom he and the LSO have enjoyed memorable partnerships, will join him in the celebrations. Whilst Shostakovich’s Second Piano Concerto is the most cheerful of the composer’s piano works, Tzigane, Ziegeunerweisen and the Rondo from Paganini’s Second Violin Concerto are true show pieces for the instrument.

Berlioz’s epic opera The Trojans, a work Valery Gergiev has garnered much praise for, totals five hours and was his most ambitious composition. Just the fifth act is sung here in this concert performance for which the LSO will be joined by ten soloists and a 120-strong chorus.

6 Britten 100: Orchestral Music

Britten 100with Michael Tilson Thomas

LSO Principal Guest Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas talks about his summer season celebrating Britten’s centenary year, with the LSO …

Putting together a programme is a very personal experience for me. I think of my relationship to the music and very often my relationship to the people that wrote it. I’ve been lucky to know many wonderful composers and the virtuosos who have inspired them. And, working with an orchestra like the LSO that has such a long and personal history with composers and performers, makes the puzzle even richer and more exciting. That’s really the inspiration behind this series featuring Britten, Shostakovich and Copland.

Britten and Copland knew each other very well in America during the war years – there’s a definite influence that goes back and forth between their music. Britten’s great opera Peter Grimes was premiered at Tanglewood where Copland was then Head of Composition, so there was a real colleagueship there.

Britten was also very close to Shostakovich in the years that Shostakovich was part of the team working in Aldeburgh. I played for Shostakovich when I was 14-years-old whilst he was on a cultural tour to the US. I worked with Aaron Copland, often premiering a number of his later scores. Britten and I only met once but it was a rather auspicious night: it was the night of my sudden debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra when Music Director William Steinberg was taken ill. After the concert

I was taken out for dinner with Leonard Bernstein and as we came into the restaurant who was at the next table but Benjamin Britten!

The LSO has had a long history with all three composers. The LSO was the favourite recording orchestra of both Britten and Copland and the catalogue of their music, often conducted by the composers, is very deep. All three cello concertos were premiered by Mstislav Rostropovich, a close colleague of all our featured composers and very great friend and colleague of the LSO. His relationship with Shostakovich is legendary.

My friend Yo-Yo Ma will be playing the two Shostakovich concertos, as well as the Britten Cello Symphony. Those three profound pieces, set with other works by Copland, Shostakovich and Britten, show a great deal of their kinship and their ability to take a firm stance that looks at the conflicts in life that we all still seek to resolve.

Yo-Yo and I have known each other since we were youngsters – he was a teenager when I first heard of him. Over the years we’ve made all sorts of music together. We’re in a group of concerned American musicians who’ve given a lot of thought to the role of music in our country and the encouragement of educational projects. Yo-Yo is a deeply committed person. It is most unusual for him to come to one orchestra and do three programmes. We are fortunate to have him, even for such a condensed period.

Michael Tilson Thomas

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 7

LSO Conducting Masterclass with Michael Tilson Thomas Sun 2 Jun 6–9pm, LSO St Luke’s

Now in its tenth year, the 2013 Conducting Masterclass sees aspiring professionals Edward Farmer, Fergus MacLeod and George Jackson work with the LSO and Principal Guest Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas. Music will include extracts from Shostakovich’s Symphony No 5 and Britten’s The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.

Tickets £5, booking essential

Part of the LSO’s Artist Development programme supported by the Murray-Smith Laird Charitable Trust

Centre for Orchestra Artist Conversation with Michael Tilson Thomas Fri 7 Jun 6.15–7pm, LSO St Luke’s Gamelan Room

Michael Tilson Thomas talks to LSO Principal Flute and resdient tour-blogger Gareth Davies about his conducting career and working with the LSO. There’s also a chance for the audience to ask questions too, both in person or via the live broadcast on facebook.

Free entry, booking essential (limited availability)

The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra Sun 9 Jun 7.30pm

Copland Orchestral Variations Shostakovich Cello Concerto No 1Copland Short Symphony (Symphony No 2)Britten The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra

Michael Tilson Thomas conductorYo-Yo Ma cello

Supported by the Atkin Foundation

UBS Soundscapes: Michael Tilson Thomas Tue 11 Jun 7.30pm

Copland Quiet CityShostakovich Cello Concerto No 2Britten arr Cooke & Mitchell Prince of the Pagodas – Suite

Michael TIlson Thomas conductorYo-Yo Ma cello

6pm Guildhall Artists at the Barbican

Britten Three Divertimenti for String QuartetShostakovich Piano Trio No 1 Op 8Copland Sextet

Viktor Stenhjem, Caroline Simon violinsElitsa Bogdanova violaPeteris Sokolovskis, Leander Kippenberg cellosAusias Garrigos Morant clarinetJean-Selim Abdelmoula, Yoko Misumi piano

UBS Soundscapes: Michael Tilson Thomas Wed 12 Jun 7.30pm

Copland InscapeBritten Symphony for Cello and OrchestraShostakovich Symphony No 5

Michael Tilson Thomas conductorYo-Yo Ma cello

6pm Guildhall Artists at the Barbican

Britten Night PieceCopland Night ThoughtsCopland Piano VariationsShostakovich Preludes and Fugues

Alexander Soares piano

Martin Kettle, The Guardian

Tilson Thomas simply let the orchestra play off the leash, to heady effect and a sure sign of mutual trust.

8 Britten 100: Chamber Music

Britten 100: Chamber MusicBBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts

Benjamin Britten was one of this country’s finest creative talents. 100 years after his birth, the world is taking its hat off to this remarkable man in global centenary celebrations comprising thousands of performances of his music and exploring his life, values and dreams. LSO St Luke’s is proud to play a part in this landmark occasion with our final series in the 2012/13 BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert Season which places chamber works by Britten alongside their equivalents by Bach and Shostakovich.

Why these composers? The charming friendship between Britten and Shostakovich, born just seven years apart but divided by cultures, not to mention an Iron Curtain, is well-documented. The two met in 1960 when Shostakovich came to hear the London premiere of his First Cello Concerto. He and Britten shared a box and Shostakovich witnessed ‘Britten bobbing up and down like a schoolboy, even nudging him with happiness at the music’. Afterwards, Shostakovich introduced Britten to cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, sparking the start of one of the most fruitful 20th century musical alliances.

‘What attracts me to Britten? The strength and sincerity of his talent, its surface simplicity and the intensity of its emotional effect’, said Shostakovich. Both composers expressed an aversion to dry, inexpressive music and were opposed to the mathematical formulae in vogue with the avant-garde crowd. They sought to engage directly with their listeners; as composer John Adams has noted, Britten experienced ‘cognitive dissonance with high modernism … he took the common language as the lifeblood for his art’. Much like his conscientious objector status during World War II, so Britten held true to his convictions about the purpose of music.

The inclusion of music by Bach (Britten and Shostakovich’s predecessor and inspiration) adds another dimension to the series: hearing how forms such as the fugue have evolved over time is a revealing exercise for which we are delighted to be joined by Lawrence Power, Simon Crawford-Phillips, Joanna MacGregor, Daniel Müller-Schott and the Brodsky Quartet.

‘Dancing energy and occasional outright eccentricity.’Ivan Hewett, The Daily Telegraph, on Joanna MacGregor

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 9

Lawrence Power Thu 25 Apr 1pm, LSO St Luke’s

Britten Suite for Violin and PianoShostakovich Sonata for Viola and Piano

Lawrence Power violin, violaSimon Crawford-Philips piano

Broadcast on 22 May

Joanna MacGregor Thu 2 May 1pm, LSO St Luke’s

Bach and Shostakovich Selected Preludes and Fugues

Joanna MacGregor piano

Broadcast on 21 May

Daniel Müller-Schott Thu 9 May 1pm, LSO St Luke’s

Bach Suite No 1 in G major for solo celloBritten Suite No 1 for solo celloBach Suite No 3 in C major for solo cello

Daniel Müller-Schott cello

Broadcast on 23 May

Brodsky Quartet Thu 16 May 1pm, LSO St Luke’s

Bach Selection from ‘The Art of Fugue’Shostakovich String Quartet No 11Britten String Quartet No 3 in G major

Brodsky Quartet Daniel Rowland violinIan Belton violinPaul Cassidy violaJacqueline Thomas cello

Broadcast on 24 May

LSO Discovery Friday Lunchtime Concerts Fri 26 Apr; 31 May; 7 & 21 Jun 12.30–1.15pm, LSO St Luke’s

Rachel Leach presents four lunchtime concerts in which LSO players and Guildhall musicians explore American music, including works by Barber, Copland, and music inspired by visits to the United States.

Free entry, no ticket required

Supported by the Coutts Charitable Trust, Rothschild Charities Committee and LSO Friends

LOVE BRITTEN? Tell everyone! #Britten100 @BrittenOfficial

FIND OUT MORE Browse the Britten 100 website which has information on every Britten event happening across the UK in 2013, a guide to Britten, videos from high-profile fans (Sir Antonio Pappano, Ian Bostridge, Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir David Attenborough to name but a few), and much more … britten100.org

lso.co.uk/lunchtimeconcerts

10 Sir Colin Davis ~ Discover More

A Tribute to Sir Colin Davis Sun 16 & Tue 18 Jun 7.30pm

Strauss Festmusik der Stadt Wien $

Berlioz Overture: Le corsaire †Mozart Violin Concerto No 3 in G major ‡Beethoven Symphony No 8 *Brahms Nänie (Funeral Song) ‡

Joseph Wolfe conductor †Nikolaj Znaider violin/conductor ‡Gordan Nikolitch violin/director *Patrick Harrild conductor $

London Symphony Chorus Musicians from the Royal Academy of Music and Guildhall School $

Sun 16 Jun City Livery Concert

Tue 18 Jun

6pm Guildhall Artists at the Barbican (16 Jun)

Schubert Selected Songs

He Wu soprano | Matthew Sandy tenorJosep Olivé Soler baritone | Max Mausen clarinetLauren Reeve-Rawlings horn | Catherine Norton piano

Sir Colin Davis1927–2013

The LSO brings its 2012/13 concert season to a close by paying tribute to the longest serving conductor in its history, Sir Colin Davis, who passed away on 14 April. Loved by musicians, artists and audiences around the globe, Sir Colin will be remembered by many as one of the most noble and generous musicians of his generation, putting the music before all else.

The concert programme features just a few highlights of the music Sir Colin held dear during his lifelong career, from the symphony that inspired him to become a musician, to a composer who had a particular resonance for him, Hector Berlioz. Berlioz and Sir Colin have become synonymous; the composer was the focus of Sir Colin and the LSO’s first major series at the Barbican, in 1983. He revisted Berlioz’s works just over twenty years later – his interpretations are now considered seminal.

Beethoven’s Symphony No 8 was the work that sparked Sir Colin’s ambitions as a musician and a conductor. Here, it is directed from the violin by LSO Leader Gordan Nikolitch.

Nikolaj Znaider has built a close relationship with Sir Colin over recent years, and as such he will perform Sir Colin’s favourite Mozart Violin Concerto, as well as conducting Brahms’ setting of Freidrich Schiller’s poem, Nänie, which Brahms wrote in memory of a close friend.

Sir Colin was particularly generous to the next generation of musicians, so the opening work, Strauss’ Festmusik, will be performed by students from the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School.

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LSO Conducting Masterclass with Michael Tilson Thomas Sun 2 Jun 6–9pm, LSO St Luke’sSee page 7 for details

Centre for Orchestra Artist Conversation with Michael Tilson Thomas Fri 7 Jun 6.15–7pm, LSO St Luke’sSee page 7 for details

LSO Timpani & Percussion Academy Concert Wed 19 Jun 7pm, LSO St Luke’s

Join LSO percussionists and the most talented young percussionists scouted from across the country as they showcase highlights from an intensive week of training, as part of the LSO Timpani & Percussion Academy.

Tickets £7 (£5 concessions)

With generous support from Ann & Frederick O’Brien Charitable Trust, The Candide Trust, Derek Hill Foundation, D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust, David HS Hobbs, Marsh Christian Trust, Musicians Benevolent Fund, Rod Stafford, Polonsky Foundation and F Roberts

LSO Fusion Orchestra & Digital Tech Group Showcase Sun 28 Jul 7.30pm, LSO St Luke’s

Teenage members of LSO Discovery’s Fusion Orchestra and Digital Technology Group are joined by LSO musicians for this one-off performance, the culmination of a three-day project giving young people from the local area the chance to create their own music.

Free entry, booking essential

Digital Technology Group supported by David and Alexandra Scholey

LSO Youth Choir Concert Fri 5 Jul 7pm, LSO St Luke’s

Lee Reynolds youth choir director

The LSO Youth Choir presents an exciting selection of music from a contemporary work by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies to popular songs from the charts.

Tickets £3 children, £5 adults Booking opens 28 May

Part of the LSO and LSC Choral Development Programme, supported by the J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust. LSO Youth Choir also supported by Finsbury Educational Foundation and the Slaughter and May Charitable Trust.

Discover moreGet behind-the-scenes

LSO Discovery Friday Lunchtime Concerts Fri 26 Apr; 31 May; 7 & 21 Jun 12.30–1.15pm, LSO St Luke’s

Rachel Leach presents four lunchtime concerts in which LSO players and Guildhall musicians explore American music, including works by Barber, Copland, and music inspired by visits to the United States.

Free entry, no ticket required

Supported by the Coutts Charitable Trust, Rothschild Charities Committee and LSO Friends

LSO Open Rehearsal with Sir Antonio Pappano Thu 9 May 3.30–6.30pm, LSO St Luke’s

Tchaikovsky Symphony No 4Tchaikovsky PolonaiseElgar Nimrod from ‘Enigma Variations’

Prior to the Orchestra’s tour to Italy and concerts at the Barbican with conductor Sir Antonio Pappano.

Tickets £4, booking essential

LSO Soundhub Showcase Sat 18 May 6.15pm & Sat 6 Jul 7.30pm

These two concerts give LSO Soundhub members a chance to showcase their most recent works.

Tickets £7 (£5 concessions)

Supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

12 Rites of Passage ~ Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Rites of Passage Thu 13 Jun 7.30pm

Verdi Overture: The Force of DestinyBeethoven Symphony No 3 (‘Eroica’): ScherzoLSO On Track Next Generation Napoleon UnbuttonedVerdi Anvil Chorus from ‘Il Trovatore’Verdi Va Pensiero, Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from ‘Nabucco’ Beethoven Symphony No 9 (‘Choral’): FinaleStravinsky The Firebird (1919 version)

Alexandre Bloch conductorRachel Leach presenterHoward Moody Next Generation directorLSO On Track Next Generation LSO Community Choir

Tickets £10 £15 £19.50

Part of the LSO and LSC Choral Development Programme which is generously supported by the J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust

LSO On Track is supported by the Hedley Foundation, the Saddlers’ Company and UBS

Rites of PassageCelebrate musical journeys

On 13 June the London Symphony Orchestra presents a performance with a difference. Forget what you think you know about classical concerts: Rites of Passage gets to the heart of what makes witnessing an orchestra so heart-stoppingly exciting.

If you’re new to the symphonic sound world, or just looking to shake up the traditional take on concert-going, this evening at the Barbican, featuring extracts from Verdi operas, Beethoven symphonies and Stravinsky’s The Firebird, and presented by the award-winning Rachel Leach, will deliver in spades. The LSO is joined by young East London musicians from the LSO On Track Next Generation scheme, who will present their own spin on Beethoven, as well as the dynamic LSO Community Choir.

A truly inter-generational event, with young musicians and community groups performing alongside world-class professionals, this musical spectacle will enthrall all ages. Rites of Passage celebrates everyone’s musical journey, whether they’re just embarking or have scaled to the highest heights, and reminds us that experiencing incredible live music can be a transformative rite of passage for us all.

ALEXANDRE BLOCH

LSO COMMUNITY CHOIR

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 13

Ladysmith Black MambazoUBS Soundscapes: Eclectica

UBS Soundscapes: Eclectica Ladysmith Black Mambazo Tue 25 Jun 8pm, LSO St Luke’s

Joseph Shabalala leader

In 2013, Ladysmith Black Mambazo – led by founder and leader Joseph Shabalala – celebrates over 50 years of joyous and uplifting music that marries the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South African musical traditions to the sounds and sentiments of Christian gospel music. In those years, the a cappella vocal group has created a musical and spiritual alchemy that has touched a worldwide audience representing every corner of the religious, cultural and ethnic landscape.

Tickets £10 £15 £22

Founded in South Africa in the early 1960s by young farmboy turned factory worker Joseph Shabalala, Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s name originates from Shabalala’s rural hometown (Ladysmith); Black is a reference to oxen, the strongest of all farm animals; while Mambazo is the Zulu word for axe, a symbol of the group’s ability to ‘chop down’ any singing rivals. Their collective voice was so unified and their harmonies so polished that they were banned from local competitions – although they were welcome to participate as entertainers.

In the mid-1980s, Paul Simon visited South Africa and incorporated Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s rich harmonies into his Graceland album, a landmark 1986 recording considered seminal in introducing world music to mainstream audiences.

In addition to their work with Paul Simon, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has recorded with numerous artists from around the world, including Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton, Sarah McLachlan and Josh Groban. They have provided soundtrack material for Disney’s The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen starring Sean Connery, and Clint Eastwood’s Invictus, amongst many others.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s appearance at LSO St Luke’s marks 50 years since the group Nelson Mandela once called ‘South Africa’s cultural ambassadors’ came into being. Their brand of uplifting a cappella songs and tightly-choreographed dance moves continues to thrill audiences worldwide; we are delighted to welcome the group to LSO St Luke’s for Londoners to share in the Mambazo magic.

lso.co.uk/eclectica

14 City of London Festival ~ Families

At Sixes & Sevens Wed 3 Jul 7.30pm, Guildhall Great Hall

Mendelssohn Incidental music from ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Mark-Anthony Turnage At Sixes & Sevens (world premiere)

Nicholas Collon conductorGordan Nikolitch leaderAilish Tynan sopranoBen McAteer baritoneLSO Ensemble Guildhall School Musicians London Symphony Chorus New London Children’s Choir Students from City of London Academies in Hackney, Islington and Southwark Paul Griffiths student ensemble director

Tickets £10 £15 £20

Commission supported by The Honourable The Irish Society and the City of London

Aurora Orchestra: New Moves Momento Sun 7 Jul 7pm, LSO St Luke’s

Debussy SyrinxBoulez MémorialeIves Three Places in New EnglandBeethoven Symphony No 7

Nicholas Collon conductorJane Mitchell fluteJon Frank film maker

Tickets £12 £18 £25 £30 (20% student discount)

LSO with Tenebrae Mon 8 Jul 8pm, St Paul’s Cathedral

Arvo Pärt Cantus, in memoriam Benjamin BrittenAnon L’homme arméJosquin Missa super L’homme arméBritten Metamorphoses after OvidStrauss MetamorphosenBarber Adagio; Agnus Dei

Gordan Nikolitch violin/directorEmmanuel Abbühl oboeTenebrae London Symphony Orchestra

Tickets £5 £10 £15 £25 £32 £42 Supported by

City of London Festival 201323 June to 26 July

For three weeks every summer, the City of London Festival – or COLF as it’s fondly known – brings the unique buildings and outdoor spaces of the Square Mile to life with a buzzing programme of music, visual arts, film, walks and talks, proving that the City isn’t just a place of business.

The LSO, as Resident Orchestra at the Barbican, has been a permanent fixture of COLF for many years, resulting in countless memorable concerts, many in the magnificent setting of St Paul’s Cathedral. Last June, the Orchestra performed Berlioz’s Requiem under the baton of the late Sir Colin Davis: the concert received outstanding reviews, with The Guardian writing: ‘If your sense of awe lacks an existential dimension, Berlioz’s great Requiem will restore it … The London Symphony Orchestra played with the kind of brilliant concentration only loyalty and love can command.’

One of the themes for the 2013 City of London Festival is ‘Conflict and Resolution’; the 400-year relationship between the City of London and Derry~Londonderry will also be commemorated. The LSO takes up both themes: on 3 July at the Guildhall Great Hall a chamber orchestra of LSO musicians and various groups of young musicians connected with the LSO’s Discovery work will perform a world premiere by Mark-Anthony Turnage, At Sixes and Sevens, to mark the City of London and Derry~Londonderry link. On 8 July, the LSO appears at St Paul’s alongside Tenebrae, one of Britain’s leading chamber choirs, to perform an intriguing programme centred on war and peace, reaching from the Renaissance strains of Josquin to the 20th century sounds of Britten and Barber.

MARK-ANTHONY TURNAGE

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 15

LSO Discovery Family Concert: America! Sun 5 May 2.30pm (free foyer activities from 1.15pm) Suitable for families with 7- to 12-year-olds

With music by Copland and excerpts from Bernstein’s West Side Story

Alexandre Bloch conductorRachel Leach presenter

Tickets £5 under-16s, £10 adults

Download sheet music from lso.co.uk/whatsonto join in with the Orchestra at the concert

A free crèche for under-6s is available for the duration of the concert. Open to Family Concert bookers only, reserve by calling the Box Office

LSO Discovery Concerts for Under 5s Fri 17 May 12.30–1.15pm, LSO St Luke’s

Vanessa King and LSO players re-tell the children’s story Handa’s Surprise by Eileen Browne through music.

Tickets £3 per person (under 12 months free, no ticket required)

Supported by AXA Investment Managers

LSO Discovery Music Explorers Sat 29 Jun, LSO St Luke’s 10am workshop, 12pm concert

Bring the whole family for a fun, interactive morning with LSO musicians presented by Vanessa King.

Tickets £3 children, £5 adults (under 12 months free, no ticket required)

Supported by the Ann and Frederick O’Brien Charitable Trust

FamiliesEvents for everyone

This summer, the LSO offers plenty of exciting activities for families to enjoy together. 13 June promises to be one of the highlight evenings of the year as the LSO presents a concert aimed specifically at those new to classical music. Rites of Passage, presented by Rachel Leach, will see the orchestra and the next generation of young musicians plus the LSO Community Choir perform extracts from the best known classical works of all time – turn to page 12 for more.

For families with younger children, our regular Music Explorers workshops, led by Vanessa King, return to LSO St Luke’s on 29 June, offering adults and children the chance to get hands-on with music and prop-making; and on 17 May at LSO St Luke’s the littlest ones in the family have their turn in the storytelling-based Concerts for Under-5s,headed up by Vanessa and LSO musicians. See lso.co.uk/families for full details on both. Meanwhile, over at the Barbican the Orchestra’s Family Concerts continue to delight 7- to 12- year-olds with their magic formula of musical extracts, audience participation and pre-concert activities: in keeping with the Lunchtime Concerts, this term’s theme is America.

If teenagers form part of your family, why not consider BMW Open Air Classics (27 May, Trafalgar Square). The performance is an ideal way to engage young adults in the classical soundworld, offering the high octane impact of a full symphony orchestra in a relaxed, informal environment. For more about BMW Open Air Classics, see page 2.

16 LSO Summer Tours ~ Season 2013/14

France Aix-en-Provence Festival

Thu 4 Jul to Fri 26 Jul (dates and times vary) Théâtre de l’Archevêché

Verdi Rigoletto

Gianandrea Noseda conductor

Fri 5 Jul to Tue 23 Jul (dates and times vary) Théâtre de l’Archevêché

Mozart Don Giovanni

Marc Minkowski conductor

Wed 17 Jul 8pm, Grand Théâtre de Provence

Britten Four Sea Interludes from ‘Peter Grimes’Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and StringsBritten Sinfonia da RequiemShostakovich Symphony No 6

Gianandrea Noseda conductorIan Bostridge tenorChristopher Parkes horn

festival-aix.com

Spain Michael Tilson Thomas

Wed 5 Jun 7.30pm, Auditorio Nacional de Música, Madrid

Britten The Young Person’s Guide to the OrchestraShostakovich Symphony No 5

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Supported by Canon Europe

Italy Pappano’s Tchaikovsky

Sun 12 May 9pm, Teatro Donizetti, Bergamo

Lutosławski Concerto for OrchestraTchaikovsky Symphony No 4

Sir Antonio Pappano conductor

gaetano-donizetti.com

Mon 13 May 8pm, Teatro Grande, Bresca

Lutosławski Concerto for OrchestraTchaikovsky Symphony No 4

Sir Antonio Pappano conductor

teatrogrande.it

Tue 14 May 8.45pm, Teatro Nuovo Giovanni, Udine

Lutosławski Concerto for OrchestraTchaikovsky Symphony No 5

Sir Antonio Pappano conductor

teatroudine.it

Austria Grafenegg Festival

Sun 25 Aug 7.30pm, Wolkenturm, Grafenegg

Smetana Overture: The Bartered Bride Chopin Piano Concerto No 2Dvorák Symphony No 7

Andrés Orozco-Estrada conductorKhatia Buniatishvili piano

Mon 26 Aug 7.30pm, Wolkenturm, Grafenegg

Brahms Violin ConcertoSibelius Symphony No 2

Nikolaj Znaider conductorFrank Peter Zimmermann violin

grafenegg.com

Summer Tourslso.co.uk/tours

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 17

Season 2013/14 Concert Highlights

Gergiev’s Berlioz 31 Oct to 14 Nov 2013

After kicking off his Berlioz season at the BMW LSO Open Air Classics concert on 27 May 2013 in Trafalgar Square, Gergiev brings a major Berlioz series to the Barbican featuring Symphonie fantastique, Harold in Italy, The Damnation of Faust, Romeo & Juliet and more.

Singing Sundays 15 Sep, 3 Nov 2013; 12 Jan, 2 Feb, 30 Mar & 22 Jun 2014

This series does exactly what it says on the tin. Six Sundays listening to great choruses and choral masterpieces, and there’s an opportunity to join in with two LSO Singing Days at LSO St Luke’s too. Works include Haydn’s The Creation, Beethoven’s Mass in C major, and a concert performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto with the cast who performed with the LSO in the month-long summer opera during the Aix-en-Provence Festival.

The LSO Invites 25 Sep 2013; 9 Feb, 13 Feb, 27 Apr, 1 May, 6 Jun, 19 & 22 Jun 2014

The next three years will see a panoply of conductors on the LSO’s podium with a line-up of established names, but all are new faces to conducting the LSO. Some of those featured in the series are Thomas Dausgaard, James Gaffigan, Daniele Gatti, Fabio Luisi, Jonathan Nott, plus musicians who have appeared as concerto soloists with the LSO on many occasions – Leonidas Kavakos and Nikolaj Znaider.

Sounds British 29 Sep 2013; 30 Jan, 2 Feb, 5 Feb, 23 Feb, 20 May 2014

From its early days, the London Symphony Orchestra has played music by, and had music performed by, the leading lights in British music. Elgar, Walton and Britten are just three of those big name composers who all developed relationships with the Orchestra, plus the series includes the latest world premiere by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies – his Tenth Symphony.Season 2013/14 on sale now

lso.co.uk/season201314

18 Booking Information

Ticket prices How to bookLSO concerts at the Barbican £10 £15 £19.50 £27 £36 unless otherwise stated Book 3–4 concerts save 15%, 5+ save 20%

UBS Soundscapes: Eclectica at LSO St Luke’s £10 £15 £22

BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts at LSO St Luke’s £10 (£9 concessions) Book any 4 concerts for £8 each

Centre for Orchestra Artist Conversations and Masterclasses Free entry, booking essential

Under-16s £5 (max 3 per adult ticket-holder; unlimited at Family Concerts)

Groups Groups of 10+ can receive a 20% discount and other benefits Call the Group Booking Line on 020 7382 7211 or visit lso.co.uk/groups

Onlinelso.co.uk (reduced bkg fee)

By phone 020 7638 8891 (10am–8pm Mon–Sat, 11am–8pm Sun, bkg fee applies)

In person Advance ticket desk at Silk Street entrance (10am–9pm Mon–Sat, 12pm–9pm Sun and Bank Hols)

By post Box Office, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS (cheques payable to ‘Barbican Centre’; enclose SAE or add 50p to total amount for postage) or fax to 020 7374 0127

All discounts and offers are subject to availability and cannot be combined.

Calls may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance or training purposes. LSO charity registration number 232391.

Information correct at time of going to print. The LSO reserves the right to change artists or programmes if necessary. Refunds will only be given in the event of a concert being cancelled.

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Silk Street

Bunhill R

owM

oor Lane

Whitecross Street

Bath Street

Helm

et Row

St Luke’s Close

Golden Lane

Chiswell StreetBeech Street

LSO extras Find usAdded extras to help make your LSO and Barbican visit more enjoyable include:

Free LSO concert programmes LSO programmes are free at all of our concerts. You can also download programmes from two days before each concert – visit lso.co.uk/programmes.

Relaxing with food, drink and friends Foyer Bars and Cafés: The ideal place to meet and catch up ahead of the concert or to enjoy a drink at the interval. Martini Bar (Level 1): Enjoy a touch of glamour at the start of your evening at the Barbican’s stylish new bar. Choose from a selection of classic and modern martinis, or a glass of bubbly. Barbican Foodhall (Level G): The lively informality of the Barbican Foodhall offers mouthwatering hot dishes and salads from a counter-top service as well as a wide range of homemade cakes, teas and coffees. Barbican Lounge (Level 1): The award-winning Barbican Lounge gives a more relaxed ambience to enjoy a pre-concert drink or seasonal small plates from the tapas-style menu. Reservations 020 7382 6180. Searcys (Level 2): Searcys Restaurant & Bar offers serene and sophisticated fine dining with stunning views across the Barbican lakeside. Pre-show and full a la carte menus are available. Reservations 020 7588 3008.

Barbican Shop Stock up on a range of design-led gifts, stationery, publications and accessories. The innovative lines are sourced from both local, up-and-coming makers and leading design houses. A full range of LSO Live CDs is also available.

Keeping you up-to-date We’ll send you an email a day before your selected concert with the latest travel details and links to other useful information.

Where we are Barbican Centre Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS

LSO St Luke’sUBS and LSO Music Education Centre 161 Old Street, EC1V 9NG

The Barbican is in the heart of the City of London with LSO St Luke’s just five minutes’ walk away.

Underground/Train stations The Barbican is closest to Moorgate and Barbican, with Liverpool Street, Bank and Farringdon nearby. For LSO St Luke’s use Old Street (Exit 7).

Bus routes 153 Beech Street; 21, 43, 76, 141, 205, 214 City Road; 55 and 243 Old Street.

Parking The Barbican’s on-site car parks, also convenient for LSO St Luke’s, cost £7 from 5pm on weekdays (£6.50 if pre-booked) and £7.50 per day at weekends.

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You can get this guide in large print, audio and electronic formats. Contact 020 7588 1116 or email access@lso.co.uk

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The LSO is funded by Arts Council England in partnership with the City of London Corporation, which also provides the Orchestra’s permanent home at the Barbican.

LSO registered charity number 232391

Cover Michael Tilson Thomas (Bill Robinson)Back Cover Valery Gergiev (Alberto Venzago)Photography Igor Emmerich, Bill Robinson, Kevin Leighton, Matt Stuart, Alberto Venzago

Print Cantate Design PIN Creative Editor Edward AppleyardPrinted on FSC certified paper using vegetable-based inks