London Symphony Orchestra
Resident Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is built on the belief that extraordinary music should be available to everyone, everywhere. It was established in 1904 and today is among the world’s top orchestras
As Resident Orchestra at the Barbican since the Centre opened, it performs some 50 concerts here every year, under the batons of a family of conductors that includes Chief Conductor Designate Sir Antonio Pappano, Conductor Emeritus Sir Simon Rattle, Principal Guest Conductors Gianandrea Noseda and François-Xavier Roth, Conductor Laureate Michael Tilson Thomas and Associate Artists Barbara Hannigan and André J Thomas.
Events
Soweto Kinch/LSO: Soundtrack to the Apocalypse
The saxophonist, rapper and composer Soweto Kinch presents the final instalment of a trilogy of works in collaboration with the LSO, which began with The Black Peril and White Juju.
London Symphony Orchestra/Maxim Pascal
An evening celebrating music at the forefront of composition, as we hear three world premieres, alongside Pierre Boulez’s magnetic memoriam to fellow composer Bruno Maderna.
London Symphony Orchestra/Alexandre Bloch & Alice Sara Ott
Debussy’s impressionistic colours give way to Ravel’s dazzling concerto and wild, untamed waltz; Lutosławski exhilarates in his Concerto for Orchestra.
London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Antonio Pappano
Tchaikovsky faces his demons in the fate-filled Fourth Symphony, before the ravishing pastoral music of English composer Vaughan Williams with soloist Antoine Tamestit.
London Symphony Orchestra: Half Six Fix – Vaughan Williams
Kick-start your evening with a 60-minute Half Six Fix concert, showcasing two works by Vaughan Williams. Introduced by the performers, with screens in the hall to bring you closer to the action.
London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Antonio Pappano
Thea Musgrave paints with radiant colours, Walton gives flight to the viola, and Vaughan Williams dreams of London.
London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Simon Rattle
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A 300-year-old woman confronts mortality, identity and lost love in this concert performance of Janáček’s intense operatic drama.
London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Simon Rattle
Two showcases of Bartók’s unbridled passion for Hungarian folk music, plus de Falla’s sun-drenched tale of love and deception.
London Symphony Orchestra/Manfred Honeck
Subtle elegance and introspection infuse Mozart’s late piano concerto, while Brahms brings hope and solace in times of loss.
London Symphony Orchestra/Robert Treviño
Violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja revels in a modernist masterwork, before Rachmaninoff’s tempestuous Symphony No 2, full of Romantic ardour.
London Symphony Orchestra/Elim Chan & Olivier Stankiewicz
A world premiere concerto from one of Britain’s finest composers, folk-inspired celebration of dance by Bartók plus Rachmaninoff’s late and great orchestral showstopper.
London Symphony Orchestra/Gianandrea Noseda & Seong-Jin Cho
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Bask in the Romantic flavours of Borodin’s folk-inspired Second Symphony, Stravinsky’s sublime neo-Classical homage to Tchaikovsky, and dazzling, deeply felt Chopin.
London Symphony Orchestra: Half Six Fix – Rachmaninoff
Kick-start your evening with a 60-minute Half Six Fix concert. Introduced by the performers, with screens in the hall to bring you closer to the action.
London Symphony Orchestra/Gianandrea Noseda
Two of Debussy’s restless, impressionistic Nocturnes, Berg’s anguished Violin Concerto; plus Rachmaninoff’s sweeping early symphony, full of youthful energy.
London Symphony Orchestra/Tarmo Peltokoski
Feel the energy of Rautavaara’s joyously rhythmic concerto, and journey to Wagner’s fantastical world of gods, giants and river-maidens.
London Symphony Orchestra: Half Six Fix – Brahms
Kick-start your evening with a 60-minute Half Six Fix concert. Introduced by the performers, with screens in the hall to bring you closer to the action.
London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Antonio Pappano
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Classical meets jazz with some Christmas favourites – plus a riotous ride with Kapustin, Gershwin’s most swinging tunes, and Bernstein at his exuberant best.
Vaughan Williams, Elgar & Bax, with David Cohen
Two reflective works from Ralph Vaughan Williams and Edward Elgar, plus Arnold Bax’s evocative portrait of the Cornish countryside.
London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Antonio Pappano
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La rondine, Puccini’s story of love thwarted by society’s conventions, an opera glowing with melody and orchestral colour.
London Symphony Orchestra/Ilan Volkov
Two sound worlds, two centuries apart: Lachenmann’s Melodies meets Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony.
London Symphony Orchestra/Half Six Fix – Lachenmann
Kick-start your evening with a Half Six Fix concert. A 60-minute concert, introduced by the performers, with screens in the hall to bring you closer to the action.
London Symphony Orchestra/Klaus Mäkelä
Tales of ancient spirits and savage dreams from Sibelius and Stravinsky, alongside the fluid, lyrical melodies of Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto.
London Symphony Orchestra/Daniele Rustioni
A spotlight on Romanticism with three beautifully contrasting pieces: Liszt in fine form, late Mendelssohn and ‘Great’ Schubert.
London Symphony Orchestra/Thomas Adès
Composers being playful: early Beethoven's wit and jokes pair with a cat-and-mouse chase around the orchestra from Ondřej Adámek.
London Symphony Orchestra/ Half Six Fix – Beethoven
Kick-start your evening with a Half Six Fix concert. One piece in a 60-minute concert, introduced by the performers, with screens in the hall to bring you closer to the action.
London Symphony Orchestra/Michael Tilson Thomas
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Big questions asked in a big piece – Gustav Mahler’s glorious Resurrection Symphony – as the LSO celebrates Michael Tilson Thomas’ 80th birthday.
London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Antonio Pappano
A celebration of pure romance in Frédéric Chopin’s lyrical Second Piano Concerto, while Gustav Mahler embraces the earth in his brilliant, bold First Symphony.
London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Antonio Pappano
Hector Berlioz goes to a Roman Carnival, Saint-Saëns gives a Symphony from the organ, and Serge Rachmaninoff shows youthful exuberance in his First Piano Concerto.
London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Antonio Pappano
Two giants of British music, two blistering orchestral works from the early 20th century, as Sir Antonio Pappano begins his first season as Chief Conductor of the LSO.
London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Antonio Pappano
Sir Antonio Pappano opens a new chapter as Chief Conductor of the LSO, conjuring stunning landscapes from Nielsen and Sibelius - and a world premiere from James MacMillan.
Discover
Profile: London Symphony Orchestra
Listen to our selection of LSO recordings from across the years in our Spotify playlist.
Barbican Sessions: Peter Moore
London Symphony Orchestra’s young trombonist, Peter Moore, performs 'Doolallynastics – a brief torture for solo trombone’ by Brian Lynn in our latest Barbican Session, filmed in one of our Frobisher Auditoriums.
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