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The Bardi and José Salazar raise the roof at De Montfort Hall

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2nd December 2025

Large numbers of bookings for the Bardi Dvořák New World Symphony concert on Sunday 30th November gave rise to mounting excitement that the afternoon was going to be something special.  

Conductor José Salazar was appearing for the first time in Leicester and conducting the Bardi for the first time too.  During rehearsals, he had already established himself as a firm favourite with the players. The concert was an eclectic mix of the very familiar, including the New World Symphony and the Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland which was played with great panache by the brass of the Orchestra.

Also included was the suite from Copland’s ballet Appalachian Spring Suite which included the famous ‘Simple Gifts’ Shaker melody (Lord of the Dance) and a real showstopper by the less well-known (to the Leicester audience at least) Danzon No.2 by Arturo Marquez. This premiered in 1994 with catchy infectious rhythms that soon had the audience tapping their feet and giving warm applause to the Orchestra.  This piece was played by the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra under Gustavo Dudamel on a European tour at the BBC Proms in 2007 and has gained a new level of popularity.  Who better to conduct it than José who grew up in the famous El Sistema system, has served as an assistant to Dudamel and Christian Vasquez and has now worked internationally as a guest conductor.

José introduced the programme at the beginning of each half which was greeted with warm applause. The end of the concert saw loud appreciation and three curtain calls, with much enthusiastic chat in the foyers from the departing audience.

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The Bardi Welcome ‘Classic FM Rising Star’ José Salazar to the podium for a concert of music from the Americas

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24th November 2025

Rehearsals for our concert on 30th November at De Montfort Hall are well underway and sounding great!  

José Salazar, our conductor for this concert, who is a Venezuelan by birth, was the ideal choice for this programme which features music from the Americas.  Headlining is Dvořák’s New World Symphony, a perennial favourite. In the first half of the concert Copland’s ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’ provides a stylish statement to open the proceedings, and a real taste of Americana is provided by the Suite from the ballet Appalachian Spring. Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No.2 concludes the first half and has become popular with audiences since its performances with the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra under Gustavo Dudamel. José is a former assistant to Dudamel which gives specific insights into to the piece.  

The second half is taken up by Dvorak’s New World Symphony, probably the best known of his symphonies and sure to light up a darkening, end of November Sunday afternoon.  A real treat before endless Christmas priorities creep into diaries. 

You can still book tickets for this concert here.

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The Bardi Share the Stage with Students from Leicester Grammar School

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10th November 2025

The annual Leicester Grammar School concert in early November is a special date in the orchestra’s concert calendar.

These concerts are part of a unique association between the Orchestra and the school providing opportunities for talented students to play alongside Bardi players with some also performing as soloists with the full orchestra. Parents and other guests are treated to a real cornucopia of Music ranging from Bach to the theme from Superman and have the opportunity to hear some of the top players in the school perform movements on a range of instruments from, in this year’s concert, the euphonium to the saxophone and a Mozart duet from two very talented young singers.

Detailed notes about each piece, in addition to a well-produced concert programme, were displayed on large screen at the front of St Nicholas Hall. There was a real buzz in the foyer in the interval and after the concert and the Orchestra received a number of messages afterwards saying how good the concert was. 

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The Bardi’s 2025/26 Season Opens in Fine Style

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6th October 2025

The Bardi began their 2025-26 season in fine style Last Sunday afternoon.  

To open the concert a good-sized audience were treated to a rarity, Max Steiner’s Casablanca Film Suite, this comparatively short piece encapsulates the essence of this well-loved film, and it was wonderful to see faces lighting up as they realised what it was about.  A return visit by Zoë Beyers, leader of the BBC Philharmonic, completed the first half with Korngold’s Violin Concerto, a piece of considerable difficulty, again redolent of the afternoon titled ‘a concert born in Hollywood’.  This piece is not often performed, but Zoë gave it a show-stopping airing to the great delight of the audience. 

Rachmaninov’s Symphony No 2 occupied the whole of the second half which will live long in the memory of those who heard it. Jonathon Lo and the Orchestra gave a polished and stylish performance full of the nuances that this great work deserves. The ovation at the end said it all and appreciative messages are still coming in.

Three further concerts in the 2025-26 season are already booking up – Get your tickets here!

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Bardi Wind Celebrate VE Day 80 at De Montfort Hall

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10th June 2025

Sunday’s Bardi Wind Orchestra concert delivers exactly what was needed for a stylish but meaningful VE DAY80 commemoration. 

One of the City’s main events to celebrate VE Day80 was a concert given by the Bardi Wind Orchestra under the baton of Music Director and Conductor David Calow at De Montfort Hall on Sunday.  The BWO have given charity concerts, in conjunction with the Oadby and Wigston Lions Club at DMH over the last 16 years but this was one of the most memorable ever, with a carefully chosen programme reflecting the war years with melodies that were evidently very familiar to most of the audience.

It was one of the largest audiences for a BWO concert in recent years and they were expertly guided through the programme by Martin Ballard who had marshalled a remarkable range of facts about the pieces played, from music which accompanied actual wartime films, to much loved Eric Coates themes from BBC Radio and from more up to date films depicting the war. He also set the music into context with facts about how the war affected Leicester itself.

Vocal items came from David Morris and Jenny Saunders including We’ll Meet Again, and handkerchiefs emerged from pockets more than once. Lt Colonel (retd) Bryon Brotherton MBE was the solo piper in an arrangement of Amazing Grace and later returned to talk about the work of the chosen charity, the Army Benevolent Fund of which he is Chairman of the Leicestershire and Rutland Committee.

It would be difficult to pick out any one piece of music as a highlight, as there were far too many, but two memories of the occasion that will linger are the standing ovation by the whole audience for 100 year old RAF Veteran Philip Kendal (who once built a stage for a concert given by Vera Lynn!) and the sight of virtually every Mayor and other Dignitaries  in Leicester, Leicestershire and Ruland wearing their chains having a photograph in the interval reception.

The rousing and accomplished finale of Coates’ Dam Busters March sent a very happy audience on their way home. 

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New Horizons Season Finale A Triumph

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20th May 2025

A huge audience attended the final concert of the Bardi Orchestra’s 2024/25 ‘New Horizons’ De Montfort Hall season.

Audiences have been building substantially over the whole season, but this concert attracted over 1400, and we were worrying that some of our usual ‘late bookers’ might miss out! The concert was conducted by 27-year-old Tom Fetherstonhaugh, an assured and talented rising star who is already making a name for himself.

The concert began with a spirited performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto by Fenella Humphreys, the musical rapport between her and Tom, and the Orchestra, ensured that even at incredible speed not a foot (or a bow) went wrong. 

The whole of the second half was taken up with a performance of Holst’s The Planets such as has never been seen in DMH before. A huge orchestra was carefully shoehorned on to the stage, with a large percussion section and such rarities as a bass oboe and a bass flute. On each side of the stage several carefully selected images of each of the planets were projected accompanied by coloured lighting effects throughout the hall. The last movement of The Planets features a wordless off-stage chorus of upper voices, and we were delighted to be joined off-stage by singers from Leicestershire Chorale who faded away to silence at the end of the piece – a really magical moment before the audience erupted into loud applause. A memorable afternoon which will stay long in the memory of those who were there. 

The afternoon saw the launch of Bardi’s 2025/26 season for which tickets (with some generous subscription discounts) will be on sale at the end of this week, we look forward to seeing you all again next season!

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Isata Kanneh-Mason the Star for record Bardi DMH audience

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24th March 2025

There was a real sense of anticipation in the air on Sunday afternoon when the largest audience so far of the 2024-25 season began to appear at De Montfort Hall.

A queue formed outside (thank goodness it was fine weather!) as we discovered that the concert had drawn the largest number of seats sold not just this season, but for over 10 years at a Bardi classical concert at De Montfort Hall. All of this was probably due to the sparkling programme of music on offer and, of course, the much-anticipated appearance of the internationally renowned pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason.  

Guest conductor for this, the third concert in the Bardi’s New Horizons season, was Toby Purser. Head of Conducting at the Royal College of Music, Toby brought with him a vast array of experience, conducting most of the high-profile orchestras in the UK and much further afield, and an involvement in a number of opera festivals and seasons. He is also the Artistic Director of the Peace and Prosperity Trust which supports charitable projects for young artists in the Middle East. 

The rapport between Orchestra and Conductor was evident from the start of the concert with clear enjoyment of the pieces.  Isata simply brought the house down with a stunning performance of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3, she debuted with Bardi 11 years ago with many of the audience recalling that appearance.

An amazing experience for a March Sunday afternoon!
See you all at our stellar season finale on May 18th for The Planets.

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Photography by Chris Roe

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Isata Kanneh-Mason joins the Bardi for a thrilling afternoon of music

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17th March 2025

The all-day rehearsal at the weekend, in advance of Sunday’s Bardi Symphony Orchestra concert proved to be a really exciting ear-opener.  

The programme includes a wonderful mix of lush romantic music; excitement right from the opening bars of the much loved Overture to Glinka’s opera Ruslan and Lyudmila, to the closing bars of Stravinsky’s The Firebird.  

The centrepiece is, of course, an opportunity to hear the slightly less frequently performed Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3 played by topflight international pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason. This is a great coup for Bardi and many players (and probably audience too) remember predicting a great future for Isata when she made her Leicester debut with the Orchestra in 2015. How right everyone was!

Guest Conductor for this concert is Toby Purser who is currently Head of Conducting at the Royal College of Music but leads an illustrious conducting career alongside this.  Should you wish go and listen to the concert you are advised not to delay getting in touch with the De Montfort Hall Box Office as tickets are selling exceptionally well.

Sunday 23rd March 2025 at 3pm
Isata Kanneh-Mason Plays Rachmaninov

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Bardi Symphony Orchestra Workshop Day 2025

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18th February 2025

The Bardi Symphony Orchestra held their annual Workshop on Saturday. Conducted by leader Adam Summerhayes, the players enjoyed a very rewarding day getting to grips with Prokofiev’s Symphony No.5. 

The idea of the day was to rehearse a challenging work that the orchestra had not done before which concluded with an exciting complete run through of the 45 minute symphony. The workshop was held in Holy Trinity Church on Regent Road in Leicester, a familiar venue to the Bardi and the staff were, as always incredibly helpful. 

It was also a social day for the players who enjoyed a nice lunch together and afterwards there was general agreement that a good day of music making had been had by all. A small group of supporters of the orchestra who had watched the run through were very complimentary and said they couldn’t believe that they had witnessed such a polished performance given such a short rehearsal time. Here’s to the next one…

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Congratulations Bardi Young Musician 2025, Prakash Easwar for a fantastic winning performance

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28th January 2025

Saturday 25th January saw the latest in the Bardi Young Musician Competition concert series which was again held at Holy Trinity Church on Regent Road in Leicester.

An enthusiastic audience witnessed 2025 winner Prakash Easwar play French composer Paule Maurice’s Tableaux de Provence suite for Alto Saxophone and orchestra. A student at Leicester Grammar School, the talented 15-year-old saxophonist produced a virtuoso performance of musicality and technical prowess, with the resulting cheers and applause fully justified.

The 2025 Young Musician award was then presented to Prakash by the Bardi Orchestra Manager Robert Calow.

Conductor Paul Hilliam, and the symphony orchestra were also on top form in a classical programme including Beethoven’s Prometheus Overture, Haydn’s ‘London’ Symphony No.104 and the beautiful Five Variants of Dives & Lazarus for Strings and Harp by Vaughan Williams.

The Bardi Orchestra is proud to be continuing this competition which showcases local instrumental music students.

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