The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) has today announced First Listen - a new three-part concert series at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall which has been created to introduce orchestral music to a new audience.

At one hour each - and with tickets costing just £5, each concert in the series is designed to be the ideal introduction to seeing a symphony orchestra live. The concerts will begin at 6pm, have no interval and will include a guest presenter who will take the audience through the unique elements and background of each piece.

Already confirmed for the opening concert of the series (Tuesday 29 September 2026) is acclaimed saxophonist Jess Gillam: a soloist, established radio presenter and Collaborative Artist across the CBSO’s 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons. Jess will host First Listen: Elgar which focuses on the influential Worcester-born composer Sir Edward Elgar’s best-known composition the Enigma Variations, conducted by Stephanie Childress.

The second concert in the series features the powerful Eroica Symphony by Beethoven (Tuesday 16 February 2027) - regarded by many as one of the greatest composers - while the third centres on the brooding, beautiful and unfinished Eighth Symphony by Austrian-born composer Franz Schubert alongside the suite from Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier (Wednesday 28 April 2027).

Of the new initiative, CBSO Chief Executive Emma Stenning (pictured), commented: "Birmingham is steeped in culture and, as audiences at our recent concerts and findings from our recent Listening Research have shown, interest in live orchestral music continues to grow. Yet for many people, walking through the doors of a concert hall for the first time can feel daunting. First Listen has been created to change that.

With tickets priced at just £5, this isn't a promotional offer - it's a genuine commitment to making the CBSO accessible to everyone. The series has been curated as an introduction to some of the world's greatest composers, with guest presenters, including Jess Gillam, bringing to life the fascinating human stories of love, defiance, mystery and drama that sit behind the music. Nothing compares to the experience of hearing a full symphony orchestra performing live. We want everyone to feel that the CBSO belongs to them, and we hope that First Listen gives many more people the chance to discover the excitement, emotion, engagement and power of live orchestral music for the very first time."

The CBSO has an ambitious season ahead including the continuation of Music Director Kazuki Yamada’s Mahler cycle, a poignant performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem at Coventry Cathedral and a celebration of Beethoven, alongside cross-genre collaborations, films with live orchestra and popular music nights. This summer, the orchestra will fill Birmingham with music with their acclaimed CBSO In the City festival (27 to 31 August 2026). Throughout the 5 days, the orchestra will be popping up in unexpected spaces including Birmingham’s iconic Bullring Shopping Centre and New Street Station as well as in libraries, gardens, museums, cafés and trams.

For further information about the CBSO season, and to purchase tickets, visit cbso.co.uk