10 classical music concerts to attend at the Barbican Centre this autumn 2023
The 2023/2024 classical music season in London is in full swing, and the Barbican Centre is a premier destination for classical music enthusiasts. With four world-class orchestras and ensembles, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Barbican's concerts offer an unmatched variety. This season's lineup features renowned musicians like Maxim Vengerov, Evgeny Kissin, Joyce DiDonato, Khatia Buniatishvili, Natalie Dessay, Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason, and Jean-Yves Thibaudet. It also includes performances by orchestras such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Bayerisches Staatsorchester, an Artist Spotlight series with cellist Abel Selaocoe, and a Milton Court residency with clarinetist Anthony McGill. Delve into our curated selection of the top 10 classical music events to see at the Barbican this season.
Maxim Vengerov and Polina Osetinskaya
Image: Grammy Award-winning violinist Maxim Vengerov, presents Romantic-era violin sonatas with pianist Polina Osetinskaya. Diago Mariotta Mendez.
#FLODown: Grammy Award-winning violinist Maxim Vengerov, known as "one of the most brilliant violinists you'll ever hear," presents a programme of Romantic-era violin sonatas with pianist Polina Osetinskaya. Their performance includes works by Clara and Robert Schumann, Brahms, and Prokofiev, offering a soul-stirring experience for violin enthusiasts.
Date: 30 October 2023. Time: 7:30pm. Location: Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £15 plus booking fee. Book now.
London Symphony Orchestra/ Susanna Mälkki
Image: Pianist Kirill Gerstein continues his spotlight series with Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3, widely considered as any pianist's Everest.
#FLODown: Pianist Kirill Gerstein, as part of his spotlight series with the London Symphony Orchestra, takes on the monumental Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3, a pinnacle of the repertoire known for its heartrending majesty and demanding virtuosity. George Benjamin's Concerto for Orchestra is an ensemble piece where every instrument shines, and Kirill Gerstein's technical mastery offers a fresh perspective on Rachmaninov's masterpiece. The collaboration with conductor Susanna Mälkki and the LSO promises a revelatory performance, bringing both new and enduring repertoire to life with electrifying effect.
Date: 30 November 2023. Time: 7pm. Location: Barbican Centre. Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS.Price: £18 - £70 + booking fee. Book now.
Fenella Humphreys & Leah Broad
Image: Fenella Humphreys and Nicola Eimer delve into the lives and works of four overlooked 20th-century female composers.
#FLODown: In a relaxed concert, violinist Fenella Humphreys, along with author Leah Broad and pianist Nicola Eimer, delves into the lives and works of four significant but often overlooked 20th-century female composers. This exploration is inspired by Leah Broad's acclaimed book Quartet: How Four Women Changed the Musical World. Fenella Humphreys, celebrated for her infectious and joyful musicianship, champions these under-represented composers – Doreen Carwithen, Rebecca Clarke, Dorothy Howell, and Ethel Smyth. The evening combines music and words, providing insight into the composers' lives through their journals and correspondence.
Date: 5 November 2023. Time: 4pm. Location: Milton Court, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: from £15 plus booking fee. Book now.
Hauschka+Dobrawa Czocher
Image: Composer Hauschka (aka Volker Bertelmann) performs his latest compositions.
#FLODown: BAFTA and Academy Award-winning composer Hauschka, known for his distinctive piano music, is set to perform at Milton Court at the height of his compositional prowess. Celebrating the release of his 14th solo studio album Philanthropy, this acclaimed pianist and composer, also known as Volker Bertelmann, will showcase his latest experimental compositions. Hauschka has a history of pushing musical boundaries by experimenting with the grand piano, using materials like tape and felt to transform the instrument into a sonic laboratory. His work has evolved from electronica to explorations of the future and urban life. The concert will also feature support from Polish cellist Dobrawa Czocher.
Date: 6 November 2023. Time: 7:30pm. Location: Milton Court, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £25 plus booking fee. Book now.
London Symphony Orchestra/Duncan Ward with Abel Selaocoe
Image: South African and European traditions meet in the transformative music of Abel Selaocoe.
#FLODown: Abel Selaocoe, a musician and composer known for blending South African and European traditions, makes his debut with the London Symphony Orchestra. He presents his highly anticipated cello concerto, Four Spirits, alongside the folk-inspired music of Béla Bartók and a jazz-infused piece by Gary Carpenter. This unique collaboration, conducted by Duncan Ward, promises an infectious good mood, preceded by free concert performances by Guildhall Jazz musicians in the Barbican Foyers.
Date: 16 November 2023. Time: 7.30pm. Location: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £10 plus booking fee. Book now.
London Symphony Orchestra/ Gianandrea Noseda
Image: Principal Guest Conductor Gianandrea Noseda and the LSO continue their cycle of Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphonies, marking 70 years since the composer’s death.
#FLODown: The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) celebrates Prokofiev's Symphonies and Brahms's Second Piano Concerto, conducted by Principal Guest Conductor Gianandrea Noseda. Prokofiev's Fourth Symphony reflects his tumultuous history, while Brahms's concerto showcases his artistic peak.
Date: 10 December 2023. Time: 7pm. Location: Hall, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £18 - £70 plus booking fee. Book now.
Anthony McGill and Britten Sinfonia
Image: Celebrated clarinettist Anthony McGill begins his residency at Milton Court. Photo by Todd Rosenberg photography.
#FLODown: Renowned clarinetist Anthony McGill begins his Milton Court residency with a performance and conversation with Britten Sinfonia. They delve into Anthony Davis's clarinet concerto, You Have the Right to Remain Silent, which was inspired by a personal incident from the 1970s. The program also features Jessie Montgomery's vibrant music and concludes with a poignant elegy by George Walker. McGill, a multifaceted figure in classical music, has made history as the first African American principal musician at the New York Philharmonic and is known for his performance at President Obama's inauguration.
Date: 29 November 2023 - 26 April 2024. Location: Milton Court, Silk St, London, EC2Y 9BH. Price: from £10 plus booking fee. Book now.
London Symphony Orchestra / Duncan Ward
Image: Violinist Isabelle Faust offers sensitive insights into the music of Bartók.
#FLODown: Conductor Duncan Ward and the London Symphony Orchestra present an enthralling program that combines symphonic poems by Janáček and Debussy, with violinist Isabelle Faust delivering sensitive interpretations of Bartók's music. Bartók's First Violin Concerto, initially dedicated to Stefi Geyer, offers an intriguing musical portrait of unrequited love and admiration. Janáček's Taras Bulba weaves a stirring narrative of Cossack warriors and a tragic romance, while Chausson's sensuous Poème explores love triangles. Debussy's scintillating seascape captures the essence of an adulterous affair. This performance presents a beautiful journey through music and emotion.
Date: 23 November 2023. Time: 7pm. Location: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: £18-£70 plus booking fee. Book now.
Gavin Bryars at 80
Image: British composer Gavin Bryars celebrates his 80th birthday at the Barbican.
#FLODown: Renowned British composer Gavin Bryars celebrates his 80th birthday at the Barbican, featuring the Gavin Bryars Ensemble performing a programme of his iconic works. The performance includes arias and duets from Doctor Ox’s Experiment and Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet.
Date: 19 December 2023. Time: 7.30pm. Location: Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS. Price: from £15 plus booking fee.Book now.
Nigel Kennedy: Bach Now! with the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra
Image: Nigel Kennedy and the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra celebrate one of the greatest composers of all time.
#FLODown: Renowned violinist Nigel Kennedy and the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra pay tribute to the timeless genius of Johann Sebastian Bach with a concert featuring Bach's violin concertos. The evening showcases all three surviving violin concertos, with Kennedy's virtuoso performance at the forefront. He begins with the dazzling solo violin concertos and is later joined by two OPO soloists: Anna-Liisa Bezrodny for the celebrated Concerto for Two Violins and Nicholas Daniel for the reconstructed Concerto for Violin and Oboe. Nigel Kennedy, known for his musical maverick spirit and world-class violin skills, invites the audience to revel in the spiritual enjoyment offered by Bach's unparalleled compositions.
Date: 14 November 2023. Time: 7.30pm. Location: Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS. Price: £18 – 65 plus booking fee. Book now.