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Classical music

Browse concerts from the Barbican Classical Music programme featuring leading orchestras and soloists from around the world.

Highlights

Quinteto Astor Piazzolla, four men in black and white image
Event
Contemporary music Classical music

Quinteto Astor Piazzolla

With five virtuoso soloists, Quinteto Astor Piazzolla explores the vast repertoire of the outstanding Argentinian composer who revolutionized tango.

Kanneh-Mason family
Event
Classical music

The Kanneh-Masons and Friends: Carnival of the Animals

In celebration of family and traditions, all seven Kanneh-Mason siblings come together for a very special evening in aid of music education charity Music Masters.

Michael Morpurgo Driftwood
Sir Peter Maxwell-Davies Farewell to Stromness
Dmitri Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67 IV. Allegretto – Adagio
George Frideric Handel Trio Sonata in G Minor, Op. 2, No. 8 III. Largo
Franz Schubert Piano Quintet in A major, D.667 - “The Trout” IV. Andantino – Allegretto
Franz Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
Isata Kanneh-Mason Hiraeth
Vittorio Monti Czardas
Camille Saint-Saëns Carnival of the Animals
Isata Kanneh-Mason Piano
Braimah Kanneh-Mason Violin
Sheku Kanneh-Mason Cello
Konya Kanneh-Mason Piano
Jeneba Kanneh-Mason Piano
Aminata Kanneh-Mason Violin
Mariatu Kanneh-Mason Cello
Connie Pharoah Viola
Toby Hughes Double Bass
Frederico Paixão Flute
Adrian Spillett Percussion
Alasdair Malloy Glass Harmonica
Julian Bliss Clarinettist
Michael Morpurgo Narrator
Sir Antonio Pappano conducting the LSO on the Barbican stage, holding a baton, with LSO string players in the foreground of the image and audience members in the background.
Event
Classical music

London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Antonio Pappano

Sir Antonio Pappano conducts two dramatic, emotionally intense American symphonies, both born of 20th-century tumult. 

Leonard Bernstein Symphony No 3, Kaddish (revised version)
Aaron Copland Symphony No 3
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Antonio Pappano conductor
Dame Felicity Palmer narrator
Katharina Konradi soprano
Tiffin Boys' Choir
London Symphony Chorus
Image of an orchestra performing with multiple people stood in line playing the flute
Event
Classical music

London Schools Symphony Orchestra

The LSSO returns to the Barbican following its summer tour of Yorkshire and Birmingham, with a programme including Sibelius' Finlandia and Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony.

Sir Antonio Pappano standing on the podium facing the audience, talking to the audience, with the London Symphony Orchestra sat on-stage behind him
Event
Classical music

London Symphony Orchestra: Half Six Fix – Copland

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.

Aaron Copland Symphony No 3
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Antonio Pappano conductor
Seong-Jin Cho sat at a piano, facing towards the keys, with his arm resting on the lid of the instrument
Event
Classical music

London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Antonio Pappano

Beethoven’s defiant Symphony No 5 meets the sneering mockery of Shostakovich and Prokofiev in exhilarating mood.

Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony No 9
Sergei Prokofiev Piano Concerto No 2
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No 5
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Antonio Pappano conductor
Seong-Jin Cho piano
Janine Jansen on the Barbican stage, in front of the orchestra, playing the violin
Event
Classical music

London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Antonio Pappano

Violinist Janine Jansen showcases Britten’s soulful concerto before the LSO launches into Shostakovich’s scathing criticism of Stalin.

Benjamin Britten Violin Concerto
Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony No 10
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Antonio Pappano conductor
Janine Jansen violin
A silhouette of a violinist in front of a multi colour background
Event
Classical music

ANNO: Four Seasons by Anna Meredith & Antonio Vivaldi

Experience the passage of time through a surprising and utterly fresh interpretation of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

This programme features Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons interspersed with electronic compositions by Anna Meredith, with projections of visual art by Eleanor Meredith.
Scottish Ensemble
Anna Meredith electronics and composer
Eleanor Meredith visual art
Britten Sinfonia and Jeneba Kanneh-Mason
Event
Classical music

Britten Sinfonia and Jeneba Kanneh-Mason

Rising star Jeneba Kanneh-Mason is the soloist in Mozart’s exquisite and lyrical concerto, while Britten Sinfonia performs Schubert’s most Mozart-like symphony, filled with grace and invention.

Elena Kats-Chernin Fast Blue Village 5
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No 23 K488
Robin Haigh Grin
Franz Schubert Symphony No 5
Jeneba Kanneh-Mason piano
Britten Sinfonia
A photo of a singer on stage, with an orchestral ensemble in the background. Semi staged production of Bushra El-Turk's Oum - A Son's Quest for his Mother
Event
Classical music

Oum – A Son’s Quest for His Mother

We are proud to present the UK premiere of Bushra El-Turk’s latest music theatre work, featuring star singers Ghalia Benali, Dima Orsho and Bernadeta Astari.

Bushra El-Turk and Kenza Koutchoukali Oum – A Son’s Quest for His Mother
Nadia Amin actor
Ghalia Benali contralto
Dima Orsho mezzo-soprano
Bernadeta Astari soprano
Bushra El-Turk composition
Wout Van Tongeren text adaptation
Kanako Abe musical direction
Kenza Koutchoukali stage director
Yannick Verweij set designer
Hannah Sibai costume designer
Yuri Schreuders lighting designer
Wout Van Tongeren dramaturgy
Roshanak Morrowatian choreography
Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra
Elias El Houssaini Musical project leader & director for Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra
Image of Sakari Oramo surrounded by a blue circle against a blue background
Event
Classical music

Oramo conducts Mahler's Ninth Symphony

Sakari Oramo and the BBC Symphony Orchestra open their new season with Mahler’s heartrending Ninth Symphony.

Gustav Mahler Symphony No 9
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Sakari Oramo conductor
Lang Lang
Event
Classical music

Lang Lang

One of the most influential pianists of the 21st century plays music by Fauré, Schumann and Chopin.

Gabriel Fauré Pavane in F-sharp minor
Robert Schumann Kreisleriana
Frederic Chopin Mazurkas:
Op 7, No 3
Op 17, Nos 1, 2 & 4
Op 24, Nos 2 & 4
Op 30, No 3 & 4
Op 33, No 3, 4 & 2
Op 59, No 3
Polonaise in F# minor, Op 44
Lang Lang piano
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir standing in the forest
Event
Classical music

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir: Adam's Lament

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir is joined by the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra for an evening of beloved 20th century works in celebration of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt's 90th birthday. 

Arvo Pärt Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten
L’abbé Agathon
Adam’s Lament
-Interval-
Ester Mägi Vesper
Arvo Pärt Fratres
Te Deum
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir
Tallinn Chamber Orchestra
Maria Listra soprano
Harry Traksmann violin
Tõnu Kaljuste conductor
Image of Aaron Akugbo against a floral backdrop and purple lines across two corners
Event
Classical music

BBC Singers and Aaron Akugbo

The BBC Singers and Principal Guest Conductor Owain Park join forces with acclaimed Nigerian-Scottish trumpeter Aaron Akugbo. 

Amala Dianor company
Event
Classical music Theatre & dance

Les Arts Florissants & Amala Dianor Company

Blending a cappella singing with expressive movement, Gesualdo Passione crowns Paul Agnew and Les Arts Florissants' work on Carlo Gesualdo, in a modern creation by choreographer Amala Dianor.

Carlo Gesualdo Passione
Les Arts Florissants
Paul Agnew conductor
Dancers of Amala Dianor Company