JULIAN BLISS SEPTET

Widely considered to be one of the UK’s most talented soloists, celebrated clarinettist Julian Bliss is joined by six other impressive musicians for a Shropshire Music Trust concert featuring a host of Hollywood hits. 
Julian’s septet have been performing together for 15 years, and are rightly admired for their dazzling virtuosity and extraordinary musicianship.  

Blackburn Theatre, Prestfelde School, Shrewsbury, Friday 9 May

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BRAUTIGAM/HOPPE/POLTÉRA TRIO

The final Barber Evening Concert of the season has been left in the capable hands of Ronald Brautigam (piano), Esther Hoppe (violin) and Christian Poltéra (cello). Stopping off in Birmingham during a tour of Europe, the internationally acclaimed trio will be performing three cornerstones of the piano trio repertory: Beethoven’s Ghost Trio; Honegger’s Sonatina; and Schubert’s Piano Trio in E-flat.

Elgar Concert Hall, The Bramall, University of Birmingham, Friday 9 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 nine million fans, while sales of his albums have now topped the 40 million mark. 

Andre is also the creator of the 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! This springtime return to Birmingham comes as part of a tour to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Strauss’ birth. 

bp pulse LIVE, Birmingham, Saturday 10 May

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HALLE ORCHESTRA

Admired around the world for their extensive orchestral repertoire, the Manchester-based Hallé here present a programme celebrating French music from the 19th and 20th centuries. 
The concert begins with Louise Farrenc’s Overture in E flat, after which the audience will be treated to Ravel’s G major Piano Concerto (performed by the internationally acclaimed Cédric Tiberghien) and Berlioz’s much-loved Symphonie fantastique.
Alexandre Bloch (pictured), music director of the National Orchestra of Lille, is the concert’s conductor.

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Wednesday 14 May

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PHILIPPINE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Having notched up their half century a couple of years back, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) visit Symphony Hall this month with a much-deserved reputation for being one of the Asia-Pacific region’s top musical ensembles. 

They perform to the masterfully wielded baton of their acclaimed music director & principal conductor, Grzegorz Nowak, who has been the inspiration behind their output since 2023. 

The orchestra’s Birmingham appearance sees them presenting a programme of music that begins with a short work by the PPO’s composer-in-residence, Jeffrey Ching (which he’s written especially for the UK tour) and ends with Beethoven’s always-thrilling Fifth Symphony. 

Performed in-between the two compositions is Bizet’s Carmen Suite no1, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, and two works by Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Suite and Rococo Variations.  

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thursday 15 May

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ELGAR FESTIVAL

Making a nine-day return, this much-loved festival is this year celebrating great musicmaking (of course!), the natural environment, young musicians, historic buildings, community, diversity and participation. 

Highlights include Elgar’s Symphony No2 and John Ireland’s These Things Shall Be, both of which will be performed by the critically acclaimed English Symphony Orchestra in Worcester Cathedral. 
Recitals by Raphael Wallfisch, David Briggs and April Fredrick also feature, as do participatory event Come And Play Elgar and family concert Elgar For Everyone. 

There are several free-to-attend events included in the programme, which features relaxed concerts, an exhibition, choral events, a film screening, Q&As, a guided walk, and a new performance partnership with students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. 

Various locations in and around Worcester & Malvern, Saturday 24 May - Sunday 1 June

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CBSO: MENDELSSOHN & WAGNER

Famous and much-loved compositions by Felix Mendelssohn start and finish this two-hour City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra concert (including an interval). Kickstarting proceedings is the Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, written by the composer 199 years ago at the tender age of 17... The afternoon of musicmaking is brought to a sunny conclusion with a performance of his ‘Italian’ symphony, a work which has been described as ‘reminiscent of beautiful blue skies’. Alongside the double dose of Mendelssohn, the concert also features, as its title makes clear, music by Richard Wagner - to be more specific, his sumptuous Wesendonck Lieder. A set of five songs for piano and female voice (in this case, Jamie Barton’s), the work was inspired by the poetry of Mathilde Wesendonck, the wife of Wagner’s patron, with whom the composer somewhat unwisely fell in love. 

The concert programme is completed by Roxanna Panufnik’s Alma’s Songs Without Words. Pierre Bleuse (pictured) conducts.    

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wednesday 28 May

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BBC NATIONAL ORCHESTRA OF WALES

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales bring their on-the-road concert season to a close with a programme that features two works which were written by composers for the women they loved.

Bartók’s deeply personal two-movement concerto - composed for his muse, Stefi Geyer, and here performed by world-renowned violinist James Ehnes (pictured) - has been described as a rhapsodic outpouring... 

Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, meanwhile - a token of his love for his new wife - comes complete with trumpet fanfares.  

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thursday 29 May

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WOLF HALL IN CONCERT

Birmingham-born and Midlands-based actor Anton Lesser (pictured) will be reading extracts from Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall as part of this late-month concert.

Anton played the part of Thomas More in the BBC television adaptation of Mantel’s acclaimed trilogy - and it’s the original music featured in the series, composed by the award-winning Debbie Wiseman, that the Locrian Ensemble of London will here be performing.

Expect a memorable evening of drama, intrigue and storytelling.   

Birmingham Town Hall, Friday 30 May