CLASSICAL FM HALL OF FAME WITH THE CBSO & JOHN SUCHET

Classic FM’s John Suchet presents, Michael Seal conducts, and Tessa Lark lends her exceptional talent as solo violinist to a City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra  concert which is being publicised as ‘the definitive countdown of Britain’s favourite classical music’. 

The two-hour programme features a wide array of much-loved compositions, from Sibelius’ Finlandia, Elgar’s Nimrod and Holst’s The Planets (Jupiter), to works by famous film composers John Williams and Ennio Morricone.    

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Friday 19 April

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NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra here marks its 120th birthday with one of four major symphony concerts it will be presenting during 2024. 

The programme for the evening features Weber’s Oberon Overture, Schumann’s Piano Concerto and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. 

St John Fisher Catholic College, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Saturday 20 April

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BIRMINGHAM BACH CHOIR PUCCINI MESSA DI GLORIA

One of the city’s oldest and most distinguished musical groups, Birmingham Bach Choir is here holding its annual Come & Sing! get-together.

The event sees the choir inviting singers from around the Midlands to meet up for an afternoon of singing (and delicious homemade cakes!).

“Puccini’s Messa di Gloria is a truly glorious sing!” says choir conductor Paul Spicer (pictured). “He wrote it as a graduation exercise, aged only 22, in 1880, when it had its first performance. It then waited until 1952 to be performed again, after which it has rightly become the popular work it deserves to be... It is fun, moving, exciting, and will be a great work for our annual Come & Sing event!”  

United Reformed Church at Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfield, Saturday 27 April

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ECHO RISING STARS: JÚLIA PUSKER

Concerto appearances, festival invitations and recital opportunities just keep on coming for rising star Júlia Pusker... 

Having performed with, among many others, the Belgian National Orchestra and London Mozart Players, the hugely talented Hungarian violinist here presents a programme that includes two of Brahms’ Hungarian Dances, a pair of delightful miniatures by Lili Boulanger, and Debussy’s violin sonata. 

A new work by leading French composer Eric Tanguy - which was commissioned by Júlia herself - also features.

Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sunday 28 April

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BBC PHILHARMONIC: FROM THE NEW WORLD

Residing at the Corporation’s Manchester home of Media City in Salford Quays, the BBC Philharmonic is no stranger to Stoke-on-Trent, regularly presenting Victoria Hall concert-goers with works from its impressive repertoire. 

This latest visit to the Potteries sees conductor & soloist Julian Rachlin (pictured) leading the orchestra in a performance of Antonín Dvořák’s From The New World. The work debuted more than 130 years ago and has since established itself as one of the most popular symphonies ever written. 
The concert programme also features two compositions by Mozart: his Violin Concerto No3 (here performed by Julian) and Symphony No36, which he wrote in just four days.

Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Friday 3 May

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MARTINU STRING QUARTET

Featuring Lubomír Havlák & Adéla Štajnochrová (violins); Martin Stupka (viola,) Jitka Vlašánková (cello),
Simon Wallfisch (baritone) & Gemma Rosefield (cello).

Programme comprises Krása's String Quartet'; Tauský's Coventry; Sylvie Bodorová's Terezín Ghetto Requiem & Schubert's String Quintet in C D956.

Sylvie Bodorová’s Terezín Ghetto Requiem (premièred in Holy Trinity Church in 1998) will be played here for the fifth time, after numerous performances in England, North America, and on the continent. Simon Wallfisch was the impressive baritone soloist last time, in 2016, and Gemma Rosefield also returns to play Schubert’s masterpiece with the Martinů String Quartet.

Generously supported by Diane Holt and Peter Robinson

Holy Trinity Church, Leamington Spa, Monday 6 May

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TØKIO MYERS: AWAKE BUT DREAMING

Seamlessly integrating music from the past and present, former Britain’s Got Talent winner Tøkio Myers here performs his new solo classical album, a collection of original music inspired by the birth of his first daughter. 

“If I hadn’t gone to dark places in life and explored as much as possible the extremities of music, then I could’ve never understood how beautiful and perfect simple music is,” explains the 40-year-old Londoner. “I’ve learnt after all these years that my training and experimenting were essential, in order for me to finally understand, appreciate and truly feel how to play the simplest of pieces. It feels like an awakening.” 

St Paul’s Church, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, Thursday 9 May

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MARTIN JAMES BARTLETT PIANO RECITAL

Martin is here making his fifth appearance in the Piano Masters Series, a fact which speaks volumes not only for the sheer quality of his musicmaking but also the high regard in which he is held by Potteries-based classical music fans. 

Possessing a fearless technique - and playing with a maturity and elegance beyond his years - Martin will be performing a programme that includes works by, among other composers, Schumann, Debussy, Ravel and Gershwin.

Stoke Repertory Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Thursday 9 May

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OLIVER JANES & JOHN REID IN CONCERT

A familiar face to West Midlands’ classical music fans, Oliver Janes (pictured) was just 21 and fresh out of the Royal Academy of Music when he was appointed the section leader of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s clarinets... 

This Barber Lunchtime Concert finds Oliver teaming up with duo partner John Reid to treat audience members to an intimate recital of his favourite works for clarinet and piano... 

The programme features compositions by Martinů, Gipps and Brahms.

Elgar Concert Hall, The Bramall, University of Birmingham, Friday 10 May

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HALLE ORCHESTRA

One of the UK’s top symphonic ensembles, the Manchester-based Halle are admired around the world for their extensive orchestral repertoire. 

This Coventry appearance sees Sir Mark Elder (pictured) - whose tenure as music director is drawing to a close after nearly a quarter of a century - lead the orchestra in a programme that includes two compositions with Midlands connections... 

A Shropshire Lad: Rhapsody For Orchestra, by George Butterworth, is based on the poetry of AE Housman, who was born in Worcestershire... Enigma Variations, meanwhile, is the work of another famous Worcestershire creative: Sir Edward Elgar...

Completing the Halle’s Warwick Arts Centre programme is Brahms’ monumental First Piano Concerto, here played by Sir Stephen Hough.   

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Friday 10 May 

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COVENTRY CATHEDRAL CHORUS

Fresh from celebrating their 60th anniversary, Coventry Cathedral Chorus are here joined by Coventry & Warwickshire Youth Orchestra to present a mixed programme of popular classical and light music. 
Featured works include Handel’s Zadok The Priest, Elgar’s Land Of Hope And Glory, Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm, and two compositions by Lennon & McCartney: Hey Jude and Penny Lane.

Coventry Cathedral, Saturday 11 May

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ANDRE RIEU

Often referred to as the King of Waltz, Andre Rieu is a superstar violinist whose YouTube videos have been viewed in excess of one billion times. His Facebook account, meanwhile, is followed by 10 million fans, while sales of his albums have now topped the 40 million mark. 

Andre is also the creator of the 60-piece waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra, which he conducts using his violin bow, mimicking the famous characteristics of Strauss himself. His concerts are well known for inspiring audience members to leave their seats and dance in the aisles, an activity which counts as something of a phenomenon at a classical music gig! 

The concert also features 16-year-old Dutch singer Emma Kok, whose performance of Voilà with André last year went viral, amassing more than 47 million views on YouTube.

Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, Friday 17 May

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CZECH NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Now in its 31st year, the Czech National Symphony Orchestra is one of Europe’s top symphonic ensembles. 

With a repertoire that regularly encompasses both classical and contemporary, the orchestra this month visits the region to present a programme featuring works by Copland (Appalachian Spring), Beethoven (Piano Concerto No5 ‘Emperor’) and Smetana (Vltava). 

The concert concludes with Dvořák’s much-loved Symphony No8, a genial work packed with folk melodies and the sounds of the forest. The concert is conducted by Steven Mercurio (pictured).

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Tuesday 21 May

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THE LONDON TANGO QUINTET

“It’s fantastic fun,” says London Tango Quintet’s director & violinist, David Juritz, in talking about his experience of playing with the ensemble. “It’s even wild at times - but that’s not to say it isn’t challenging as well. To do it justice, you have to approach tango just as you would any other great music - with a sense of style and your total commitment, but also leaving enough freedom to experiment. 
“When it ‘happens’, you feel like you’ve been set free. It’s just exhilarating!”

Blackburn Theatre, Prestfelde School, Shrewsbury, Friday 24 May

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THE ROMANTIC REVIVAL ORCHESTRA

‘Accessible music for all, brought to you by the young musicians of tomorrow’ is the name of the game for the Romantic Revival Orchestra (RRO), a brand-new ensemble of talented musicmakers that features (mostly current) Royal Birmingham Conservatoire students. 

Focusing on romantic repertoire, presented alongside new and contemporary tonal compositions, the RRO here bring their first season to a close, performing a programme that features new music alongside Dvořák’s Sixth Symphony and Wieniawski’s Second Violin Concerto performed by Maciej Rzepczyk (pictured).

CBSO Centre, Birmingham, Thursday 23 May

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ELGAR FESTIVAL

This annual celebration of the life and music of Worcestershire’s most famous composer brings together orchestral, chamber, vocal, choral and relaxed concerts with exhibitions, talks and a number of first-time events. 

“Our aim is to bring the music of Elgar to everyone,” explains the festival’s artistic director, Kenneth Woods. “And what better way to do this than by continuing to introduce extra added-value initiatives. We are delighted to announce new additions and look forward to welcoming you all to what looks set to be our best festival yet!” 

Violinist Esther Abrami (pictured) will perform twice during the festival. To check out what else is happening across the event’s seven days.

Various locations in and around Worcester, Monday 27 May - Sunday 2 June

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OLD WORLD SYMPHONY WITH THE CBSO & OKSANA LYNIV

Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv takes the helm for a concert which is promising ‘dark passions from the soul of Eastern Europe’. Osana’s fellow Ukrainian, Bohdana Frolyak, is one of three composers whose music (her adagio) features on the programme. 

The other two are Tchaikovsky - his Violin Concerto is performed by Andrii Murza - and Antonín Dvořák, whose Seventh Symphony completes the two-hour concert.

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wednesday 29 May