On Air Now
Early Breakfast with Lucy Coward 4am - 6:30am
Join us for Great British Orchestras Week on Classic FM
8 March 2021, 13:15 | Updated: 8 March 2021, 14:20
We’re celebrating some of the nation’s finest orchestras across the week, with a selection of special recordings and shows coming up.
After a year when orchestras were unable to share their skills on the stage, many musicians found imaginative ways to share live music from their homes.
This week, we’re shining a light on that wealth of great musical talent from across the country.
Through special concerts and fantastic recordings, we’ll be celebrating the greatest orchestras of Great Britain. Here’s what’s coming up...
Read more: 10 women who changed the classical music world forever >
Chineke! Orchestra performs Adolphus Hailstork’s ‘Epitaph for a Man Who Dreamed’
Alexander Armstrong (Weekdays 9am-12pm)
Every weekday morning from 9am, Alexander Armstrong will feature a selection of fantastic recordings in the Classic FM Hall of Fame Hour, taken from the annual Top 300 chart voted for by listeners.
Hear the Chineke! Orchestra’s recording of Dvořák’s ‘New World’ symphony from their debut album this Tuesday, and enjoy a peaceful moment with a performance of Grieg from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra on Wednesday.
Schubert’s Symphony No.5 from the Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique features on Thursday, before Alexander concludes with a film favourite on Friday, which was originally recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra.
Simon Rattle conducts the LSO in London's Trafalgar Square
The Classic FM Concert with John Suchet (Weekdays 8pm-10pm)
The week-long celebration of our greatest orchestras continues in the evenings, in The Classic FM Concert with John Suchet.
John will be dedicating two hours to showcasing the nation’s top musical talent, kicking off on Monday with recordings from the Orchestra of Opera North, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra and more.
There’s a performance from the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain on Tuesday evening, followed by a recording of Mozart by the Royal Northern Sinfonia. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra also feature.
Meet Stephen and James, from the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain
The special series continues on Wednesday with a triumphant Elgar march from the Hallé Orchestra. Performances from the Manchester Camerata, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields follow.
On Thursday evening, John shines the spotlight on seven more great British orchestras, including the Britten Sinfonia, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Mozart Players.
Concluding the week-long celebration, one of the country’s most exciting young ensembles takes centre stage on Friday: the Aurora Orchestra. Recordings from La Serenissima, the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra also feature.
Listen to The Classic FM Concert with John Suchet every weekday from 8pm. Click here to find out more about the upcoming shows.
The London Mozart players at Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard, London
Alan Titchmarsh (Saturday 7am-10am)
There’s music from from the Philharmonia and a recent recording from the Orchestra of the Swan featuring in Alan Titchmarsh’s weekend show.
Join Alan for the special Classic FM Hall of Fame Hour at 9am this Saturday.
Aled Jones (Sunday 7am-10am)
On the final day of Classic FM’s Great British Orchestras Week, Aled Jones features one of his favourite recordings from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
Hear it in the Classic FM Hall of Fame Hour from 9am on Sunday.
Classic FM is available across the UK on 100-102 FM, DAB digital radio and TV, on Global Player, the official Classic FM app, on your smart speaker (“play Classic FM”), iOS or Android device and at ClassicFM.com.
