What’s on

Classical music

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

Highlights

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Close up shot of Khatia Buniatishvili with her eyes closed and her hair blowing in her face
Event
Classical music

Khatia Buniatishvili & Friends

For the finale to Khatia Buniatishvili’s Barbican residency, the pianist invites friends from the performing world to join her for an intimate evening of music and words.

Johann Sebastian Bach arr Alexander Siloti Prelude in B minor, BWV 855a Arr. by Alexander Siloti
Jules Massenet Méditation from ‘Thais’
Antonin Dvorak Slavonic Dance in E Minor, Op 72/2: Dumka Allegretto grazioso for 4 hands
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker: Overture, Op 71a for 8 hands
Johannes Brahms Sixteen Waltzes Op 39: no 3, 5 and 6 for 4 hands
César Franck Violin Sonata in A major: movements 3 and 4
Antonio Vivaldi Sovente il sole
Francis Poulenc Le travail du peintre FP 161: I. Pablo Picasso
Samuel Barber Sure on this shining night
Antonio Vivaldi The Four Seasons: Winter – II. Largo for 4 hands
Vedrò Con Mio Diletto
Arvo Pärt Pari intervallo for 4 hands
Antonio Vivaldi The Four Seasons: Winter – I. Allegro non molto for 4 hands
George Frideric Händel Coronato il crin d'alloro from ‘Agrippina’
Astor Piazzolla arr. Khatia Buniatishvili Libertango for 4 hands
Oblivion
Sofia Gubaidulina Musical Toys: 6. Song of the fisherman
Marcello-Bach Adagio from Concerto in D Minor, BWV 974
Gioachino Rossini Overture from ‘William Tell’ for 8 hands
Khatia Buniatishvili piano
Amira Casar actor
Jakub Józef Orliński countertenor
Axelle Saint-Cirel mezzo-soprano
Nicola Benedetti violin
Sodi Braide piano
Hélène Mercier piano
Gvantsa Buniatishvili piano
Music Action International
Event
Classical music

Music Action International: Harmonise London

Aimed at Key Stages 1-2, come and join other London schools in an uplifting showcase led by over 100 primary school children as part of Refugee Week celebrations. 

An aerial shot of an arid mountain range
Event
Classical music Contemporary music

No Friend but the Mountains

Inspired by Behrouz Boochani's book of his refugee journey and six-year-long incarceration in Manus Island, the LSO give the UK premiere of this heart-stopping song-cycle.   

Luke Styles No Friend but the Mountains
London Symphony Orchestra
Joseph Young conductor
Gareth Brynmor John baritone
London Symphony Chorus
Christmas in the Conservatory
Event
Classical music Contemporary music

Free Friday Lunchtime Concert

Make lunchtime musical with a free, bite-size concert. Be the first to hear new music by emerging composers on LSO Discovery’s schemes, including new works created specially for this unique venue.

The London Symphony Orchestra on the Barbican Hall stage in front of a full audience of families
Event
Classical music

London Symphony Orchestra: Family Concert – The Planets

A fun opportunity for families to learn more about music and the instruments of the orchestra, with music based on a theme and free workshops before the concert. 

The Ligeti Quartet sitting in a row, holding their instruments
Event
Classical music Cinema

Ligeti Quartet: Nuc

The Ligeti Quartet perform tracks from their 2023 album Nuc, fusing acoustic and electronic music for string quartet by Mercury-nominated composer Anna Meredith alongside visual projections.

Ligeti Quartet
Lucy Humphris trumpet
dirk brosse
Event
Classical music

London Symphony Orchestra: LSO on Film

A selection of film music recorded by the LSO, including scores by Alexandre Desplat, Philippe Sarde, Philippe Chany and Guillaume Roussel for films such as Harry Potter, Black Beauty (2020) and Tess.

Georges Auric Main Title, Robbing the Bank & In the private rooms of the Femme Fatale from ‘The Spider and the Fly’
Georges Delerue Ashton’s Son & Return to the Hill from ‘A Summer Story’
Vladimir Cosma End Title from ‘Le Schpountz’ and Le Jaguar from ‘Le Jaguar’
Philippe Sarde Suite Cinema Romanesque (excerpts) from ‘Fort Saganne’ Suite Symphonic from ‘Tess’
Philippe Rombi Aria from ‘Joyeux Noel’
Jean-Claude Petit Ship Fight, To England & La Fuite Du Roi from ‘The Return of the Musketeers’
Philippe Chany Le Jardin Fantastique & Les Romains from ‘Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra’
Philippe Rombi Suite from ‘Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion’
Mathieu Alvado Music from 'Asterix & Obelix: The Big Fight'
Guillaume Roussel Mustang Spirit from ‘Black Beauty’
Mathieu Alvado Duinlan’s Theme & Ravik’s Theme from ‘Ghost of a Tail’
Alexandre Desplat Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Suite (excerpts)
Michel Legrand Music from ‘Never Say Never Again‘
London Symphony Orchestra
Dirk Brossé conductor
A side profile shot of Evgeny Kissin
Event
Classical music

Evgeny Kissin

Chopin at his most mercurial, and Shostakovich’s response to Bach as well as his piano sonata swansong all come under the spotlight as the great pianist attends to unfinished business.

Johann Sebastian Bach Partita No 2
Frédéric Chopin Nocturne No 1, Op 27
Nocturne No 2, Op 21
Scherzo No 4
Dmitri Shostakovich Piano Sonata No 2
Prelude and Fugue in D-Flat Major
Prelude and Fugue in D-Minor
Evgeny Kissin piano
LSO Discovery participants playing brass instruments
Event
Classical music

LSO Discovery Showcase

This showcase brings together the Orchestra with participants from all across LSO Discovery’s work.

Pete Churchill Dig Deep (for Choir & Orchestra)
Trad arr Reginald Unterseher Wayfarin’ Stranger (for Choir & Orchestra)
Podd Brothers Here Comes The Sun (for Choir & Orchestra)
Hector Berlioz Movement 4 from Symphonie fantastique
Mark Withers orch Rachel Leach with LSO Create ReMBRANDT
Opera Makers
Event
Classical music

Guildhall School: Opera Makers

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Join Guildhall School for three exciting new works written by composers and librettists on Guildhall’s MA in Opera Making & Writing in association with the Royal Opera House.

A man looking out at a vast mountainous landscape
Event
Classical music

Academy of Ancient Music: Beethoven's Symphony No 5

Struggles, seduction and sparkling wit: Laurence Cummings and AAM play Beethoven, Haydn and Maria Theresia Ahlefeldt.

Maria Theresia Ahlefeldt Telemachus on Calypso’s Isle
Joseph Haydn Trumpet Concerto
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No 5
Academy of Ancient Music
Laurence Cummings conductor
David Blackadder trumpet
An illustration by Quentin Blake
Event
Classical music

Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures

Quentin Blake’s glorious, multicoloured Box of Treasures bursts open as the BBC Symphony Orchestra accompanies two wonderfully animated adventures live: Angel Pavement and Loveykins.

Stefano Cabrera Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures
BBC Symphony Orchestra
soprano Harriet Burns
Event
Classical music

Classical Pride: Voices of Tomorrow

Texts by queer poets and music by LGBTQ+ composers are brought together in this song recital that showcases some of today’s leading young classical music talent. 

Ricky Ian Gordon Joy (text by Langston Hughes)
Maud Valérie White The Throstle (text by Alfred Lord Tennyson)
Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky The Cuckoo, Op. 54, no. 8 (text by Christian Gellert)
Martin Bussey We two (text by Walt Whitman)
Leonard Bernstein To What You Said (text by Walt Whitman)
Edward Picton-Turbervill How can I keep from singing? (text trad.)
Judith Weir Lady Isobel and the Elf Knight (text trad.)
Jonathan Dove Between Your Sheets (text by Mary Wortley Montagu)
Reynaldo Hahn A Chloris (text by Théophile de Viau)
Stephen Hough All Shall be Well (text by Julian of Norwich)
Harriet Burns soprano
Jonathan Eyers baritone
Edward Picton-Turbervill piano
Classical Pride orchestra on stage
Event
Classical music

Classical Pride: Voices of Joy & Sorrow

A triumphant finale to 2025’s Classical Pride, as the London Symphony Orchestra and conductor Oliver Zeffman celebrate LGBTQ+ voices in classical music with a vibrant programme.

Camille Saint-Saëns Bacchanale from Samson et Dalila
Jennifer Higdon blue cathedral
Jake Heggie New Work (world premiere)
Camille Saint-Saëns Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix from Samson et Dalila
Harold Arlen Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz
George Benjamin Dream of the Song
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Swan Lake Suite
London Symphony Orchestra
Oliver Zeffman conductor
Jamie Barton mezzo-soprano
Cameron Shahbazi countertenor
Tenebrae
Junior Guildhall brass musicians
Event
Classical music

Junior Guildhall Symphony Orchestra & Brass Band

The talented young musicians of Junior Guildhall round off their academic year with a programme including Sibelius’ Symphony No 2 conducted by Dominic Wheeler.