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Making America: Billy Childs’s Saxophone Concerto

BBC Symphony Orchestra / Elena Schwarz

,Barbican Hall
Stephen Banks

Dark ships and shining seas: John Adams’s Harmonielehre is the dazzling climax to a concert celebrating the American dream at its most terrible – and hopeful.

Billy Childs’s yearning sax sings of oppression and freedom. And a mythical Chinese monster somehow contains the spirit of jazz legend Ray Charles, in Du Yun’s Hundred Heads. 

John Adams’s Harmonielehre is both a tribute to Schoenberg and a glittering celebration of West Coast counterculture. For Du Yun and Billy Childs, meanwhile, tales of Africa and China, the poetry of Maya Angelou and the deathless sound of Soul come together to create something powerful, personal and utterly new. 

Every nation has a million stories: in America’s 250th year, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conductor Elena Schwarz and saxophonist Steven Banks share some of the boldest. 

Tagged with: Classical music Making America Young Barbican More...

Programme

  • Du Yun   Hundred Heads (European Premiere)
  • Billy Childs   Diaspora: Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra (UK Premiere)
  • John Adams   Harmonielehre

Performers

  • Elena Schwarz   conductor
  • Steven Banks   saxophone

Ticket prices

Standard
From £15 *
* Excludes £4 booking fee

Booking fees

£4 booking fee per online/phone transaction. 

No fee when tickets are booked in person.

Booking fees are per transaction and not per ticket. If your booking contains several events the highest booking fee will apply. The booking fee may be reduced on certain events. Members do not pay booking fees.

Barbican Hall

Location
The Barbican Hall is located within the main Barbican building. Head to Level G and follow the signs to find your seating level. 

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
​​​​​​​The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.