The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) today announces its highly anticipated 2024/25 London season, performed at London’s most iconic venues: the Royal Albert Hall, Cadogan Hall, and the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall.
The announcement follows a new report by the RPO which indicates that the audience for orchestral music is diversifying, with one in four people (25%) saying that they are interested in discovering or learning more about the genre.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2024/5 season of concerts presents orchestral music in its broadest sense designed to attract a truly diverse audience, including people attending an orchestral concert for the first time. This is part of the RPO’s mission to ensure that orchestral performances can be fully inclusive and appeal to the broadest possible audience.
The season will comprise performances at three major London concert venues:
Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall: At a time of intense geo-political turbulence, the RPO’s Music Director Vasily Petrenko will present ‘Lights in the Dark’, a series featuring music of resistance, courage and hope. The series features works composed in the middle of worldwide conflicts as well as those written by composers who faced exile and adversity and transformed the experience into pure life force. Masterworks including Shostakovich’s ‘Leningrad’ Symphony and Beethoven’s ‘Emperor’ Concerto sit alongside lesser-known works including Piano Concerto in One Movement by Florence Price, Dorothy Howell’s Lamia, and Weill’s Four Walt Whitman Songs. Petrenko is joined by soloists including Paul Lewis, Roderick Williams OBE, Jeneba Kanneh-Mason and Bruce Liu.
Royal Albert Hall: As Associate Orchestra of the Royal Albert Hall, the RPO will present a series of large scale, dramatic concerts befitting one of the most iconic music venues in the world. In May 2025, Vasily Petrenko will be joined by two of the most celebrated names in classical music, pianist Yunchan Lim and violinist Maxim Vengerov. The orchestra will also explore the broad spectrum of orchestral music with concerts including Let’s Face the Music, Symphonic Soul: A Celebration of Motown and More, ABBAphonic, American Classics, and Film Music Gala: And the Winner Is… Additionally, John Rutter’s ever-popular Christmas Celebration returns.
Cadogan Hall: Highlights of the 2024/25 season include Martyn Brabbins conducting a programme of English featuring piano concerto by Sir Arthur Bliss with Mark Bebbington as soloist, Daniel Hyde conducting Mozart’s Requiem with the City of London Choir, and Shiyeon Sung harnessing the elemental energy of Carl Nielsen. The 14-concert series also features the RPO’s Principal Associate Conductor, Alexander Shelley, and conductors Jac van Steen, Long Yu, and Gemma New, as well as soloists Esther Yoo and Daniel Ciobanu. The Orchestra’s 2024/25 Artist-in-Residence will be the outstanding young violinist Johan Dalene, who will perform three concerts that will demonstrate his virtuosity and musicality in equal measure.
James Williams, Managing Director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: “The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2024/25 season is designed to engage and inspire audiences through the thrill of live orchestral music, wherever they are on their musical journey. We are absolutely delighted not only to be working with some of the very best conductors and soloists, but also to perform an eclectic mix of repertoire showcasing the depth and diversity of orchestral music. With interest in orchestral music remaining strong and ever-increasing numbers looking to broaden their musical horizons, we invite audiences to join us in celebrating the rich tapestry that orchestral music provides, performed by one of the world’s most revered orchestras.”
Reflecting on the new ‘Lights in the Dark’ series of concerts, Vasily Petrenko, Music Director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra commented: “All art reflects human society – all that is good and all that is bad in the world. And yet, for centuries, composers have produced some of their most profound work in the most testing times. Societies change, politicians argue, people fight: and yet music endures and evolves, bringing people together, helping us find meaning in our own times and sometimes – hopefully – showing us the way to a better future. I extend a heartfelt invitation to come and join us at the Southbank Centre this season. In return, we promise to play our hearts out. Music brings people together; let’s share it this season.”
