Tag Archives: London Concert Orchestra

Conductor: Richard Balcombe Reviewer: Selwyn Knight Today, Birmingham’s Symphony Hall pays tribute to the undisputed King of Swing, Frank Sinatra. And who better to lead that tribute than (probably) Britain’s finest crooner, Matt Ford, although, as Ford explains, this isn’t a tribute act, it’s a celebration of Sinatra’s sound – Ford doesn’t try to impersonate Sinatra’s voice or his quirks, ...

Conductor: Anthony Gabriele Reviewer: Selwyn Knight Although the Academy Awards were first awarded in 1929, the first award for a movie score wasn’t made until 1935. In 1938, the first score celebrated in this concert – that for The Adventures of Robin Hood scored by Erich Wolfgang Korngold – won. Today, therefore, we celebrate 75 years of Best Musical Scores ...

Conductor: Adrian Lucas Reviewer: Clare White Raymond Gubbay’s Christmas season kicks off in spectacular style at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham with its annual classic carol concert. Traditional festive favourites mixed with rarer Yuletide treasures and sing-a-long standards are performed by the sublime City of Birmingham Choir, accompanied by the London Concert Orchestra and led by conductor Adrian Lucas. One ...

Conductor: Anthony Inglis Reviewer: Selwyn Knight Raymond Gubbay Ltd has long been producing concerts of popular classical music using its in-house orchestras, including tonight’s orchestra, the London Concert Orchestra. This is advertised as a Space Spectacular, comprised of music inspired by space. And it certainly is a spectacle. With over seventy musicians on stage, even Symphony Hall’s stage looks full ...

Conductor: Anthony Gabriele Reviewer:  Selwyn Knight It’s just over 100 years since Francis Albert Sinatra was born in Hoboken, New Jersey. His career had its ups and downs, taking in periods as a teen idol, film actor and academy award winner and elder statesman of music. Although he never learned to read music, his innate musicality made him the supreme interpreter ...

Conductor: Richard Balcombe Reviewer:  James Garrington Anyone who has ever watched the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing will be familiar with the names of Erin Boag and Anton du Beke. Boag performed in the first ten series of the programme, and du Beke has been a permanent, and very popular, fixture through the entire run. With a title like Swing Time ...

Conductor: Pete Harrison Reviewer:  James Garrington It’s hard to believe that it’s now very nearly 35 years since ABBA broke up. Yet over the relatively brief period that they were performing together their songs and musical style struck a chord with fans around the world, and continue to reach new audiences each day. Formed in 1972, they shot to worldwide ...

Conductor: Anthony Inglis Reviewer:  James Garrington Katherine Jenkins must surely be one of Britain’s favourite crossover artists. Since she released her debut album in 2004 she has regularly been at the top of the album charts, and has sung to packed out concert halls around the world – and this Christmas, Birmingham’s Symphony Hall is no exception. This concert has ...