Eclectic and adventurous programming from Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra for their 99th Season

As their hundredth anniversary creeps closer, the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra have another inventive and diverse programme planned for their 99th season. Music Director Joanna MacGregor continues to serve up a mix of concerts, with some strong soloists, jazz influences and plenty of 20th and 21st century repertoire. 

They open with a lively programme of American music, including Gershwin’s Piano Concerto with MacGregor at the keyboard. American conductor Clark Rundell is at the helm, opening with John Adams’ great crowdpleaser, the Short Ride in a Fast Machine, and ending with Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances, from West Side Story. In between is a real gem - Charles Ives’ The Unanswered Question (2.45pm, Sunday 8 October, Brighton Dome). 

Andy Sheppard
© Sara Da Costa

They follow this with a full-on move into jazz territory, with a concert exploring the influence of cult 1960s musician and composer Moondog. Saxophonist Andy Sheppard has worked extensively with MacGregor, and for the first half of this concert, they explore music from their album Deep River: Deep South gospel and blues meet electronica, with music by Nick Cave, Bob Dylan and Tom Waits, with Sheppard and MacGregor joined by Khuljit Bhamra on tablas and Seb Rockford on drums. This is followed by Sidewalk Dances, an orchestral suite arranged by MacGregor which draws on Moondog’s compositions, including Voices of Spring, Bird’s Lament, Dogtrot and Single Foot (7.30pm, Sunday 12 November, Brighton Dome).

Sian Edwards
© Justin Slee

Their December concert promises to be a treat, with conductor Sian Edwards returning for a Winter Solstice theme, with music by Pärt and Sibelius. Pärt’s Lamentate features MacGregor on piano, and violinist Ruth Rogers is the soloist in his haunting Spiegel im Spiegel. Then it’s Sibelius’ Second Symphony that takes centre stage, with the privilege of being the only major symphonic work in their season, a further sign of their departure from more traditional programming (2.45pm, Sunday 3 December, Brighton Dome).

Ellie Laugharne

Their seasonal offerings include their popular Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol, with Pip Torrens narrating, and brass arrangements of carols from the BPO Brass Quintet (6pm & 8pm, Friday 15 December, St George's Church, Brighton), and then a New Year’s Eve Gala, with Strauss, Léhar and Prokofiev, conducted by Stephen Bell, with soprano Ellie Laugharne (2.45pm, Sunday 31 December, Brighton Dome).

The New Year brings some really interesting programmes, starting with Henk de Vlieger's crazy adaptation of Wagner's Ring Cycle - yes, the whole cycle in just 65 minutes, complete with anvils, Wagner tubas and 8 horns. As an appetiser, they will perform Ligeti's Atmosphères, and then Berio's Folk Songs, with soprano Dorothea Herbert, all conducted by the young British conductor, Geoffrey Paterson (7.30pm, Saturday 27 January, Brighton Dome).

Errollyn Wallen

In February, it's 20th century classics with Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale, conducted by Sian Edwards, along with three actors (lead by Alistair McGowan) and a dancer. The programme also includes Stravinsky's Ebony Concerto, written for Woody Herman's band, so for solo clarinet and jazz band, and then Milaud's 1920s jazz inspired ballet score, La Création du Monde. Keeping with the jazz theme, but shifting to Berlin, they will also perform Kurt Weill's Threepenny Opera Suite (7.30pm, Sunday 25 February, Brighton Corn Exchange). 

Eleanor Alberga

Joanna MacGregor returns to the podium in March for Mighty River: Celebrating Women, marking International Women's Day. Florence Price's Mississippi River Suite, which draws on spirituals, popular song and jazz, following the course of the mighty river. Alongside this are two works from contemporary women composers, with Errollyn Wallen's Mighty River complementing the Price in terms of inspiration, and Eleanor Alberga's Clouds following a similar theme of movement in nature, this time drifting and storming cloud patterns (7.30pm, Friday 8 March, Brighton Dome).

Ragnhild Hemsing
© Nikolaj Lund

For their final concert in the season, they move from the rivers to the sea, with Britten's Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes and Debussy's La Mer bookending the programme. In between, Norwegian composer Geirr Tveitt's Concerto No. 2, Three Fjords features the hardanger fiddle, played by Ragnhild Hemsing. Music by the Japanese film composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who passed away earlier this year, completes what promises to be a fascinating programme, all conducted by Adam Hickox (2.45pm, Sunday 7 April, Brighton Dome). 

Adam Hickox

And as a final addition, they are off to the Petworth Festival in July for a concert of chamber music, with music by Purcell, Bach, Pärt, Piazzolla and Vaughan Williams (7.30pm, Saturday 13 July 2024).

So all told, this promises to be the BPO's most eclectic and adventurous season yet - it will be interesting to see how they top this for their 100th season! 

Full details here, and tickets here.