News

Bardi Young Musician Concert 2026, starring Easher Austin

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27th January 2026

The 16th Bardi Young Musician, Easher Austin, took the platform at Holy Trinity Church on a grey Saturday evening to give a faultless performance of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with the Bardi Symphony Orchestra.

This was a very special performance as Easher played a basset clarinet for which Mozart wrote the concerto. The basset clarinet looks very much like a traditional clarinet until you look carefully and see that it is a lot longer and when played gives rich low notes.  

Bardi Chair, Jane Hanson, presented a trophy and cash prize to our BYM 2026 explaining to the audience that this was probably one of the most important dates in the Bardi’s concert calendar, supporting the next generation of musicians.

In the remainder of the programme, a chamber orchestra-sized Bardi Orchestra gave polished accounts of Gerald Finzi’s Romance, Faure’s Overture to Masques et Bergamasques and the second half consisted of a spirited performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No7.

We will be announcing the opening of entries for Bardi Young Musician 2027 later in the summer! 

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Merry Christmas from All At The Bardi

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22nd December 2025

For almost a quarter of a century, Christmas for many Leicester folks has begun with the Bardi Wind Orchestra’s Christmas concert!

With its engaging blend of the familiar and the less familiar music interspersed with carefully chosen seasonal readings, Saturday’s ‘Christmas Festival’ was the 24th concert and, like vintage wine, the concerts just get better and better! 

A large audience in the beautifully decorated Holy Trinity Church, Regent Road, were treated to the traditional concert of two halves. The brightly dressed players performed suites from seasonal films alongside carols, before, after the interval, the Orchestra was transformed by a colourful array of fancy dress costumes some of which had the audience wondering how they would play their instruments! Play them they did when all the popular Christmas favourites were given an airing: Walking in the Air, White Christmas, Sleigh Ride and of course Merry Christmas Everybody which sent everyone out into the night all set for Christmas. Thanks to all who attended another highly successful Bardi Wind Christmas concert!

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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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Basset Clarinettist Easher Austin is our Bardi Young Musician 2026!

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28 October 2025

The Bardi are delighted to announce that the winner of Bardi Young Musician 2026 is basset clarinettist Easher Austin.

The selection process, which has been ongoing since June 2025, reached its climax on 18 October for six young  musicians. The range of instruments was interesting, our first ever orchestral percussion candidate with a marimba, a euphonium player, three violinists and a clarinetist.  

The audition panel comprised BYM conductor Paul Hilliam, Bardi Orchestra Manager Robert Calow and violinist Michael Lessiter. Each auditionee had to play a piece for 10 minutes and then have an interview with the panel.  To say that the panel were blown away with the standard of playing and interviews is an understatement, and their discussions went on for some considerable time before they finally agreed unanimously on Easher Austin from Mountsorrel, a pupil at Loughborough Grammar School.

Easher particularly stood out in his choice to perform the Mozart Clarinet Concerto on the basset clarinet, the instrument for which the composer originally wrote the work. The basset clarinet is a member of the clarinet family, similar to the usual A and B-flat clarinets seen in the orchestra but longer and with additional keys to enable playing several additional lower notes.

You will be able to hear this rare instrument played by Easher at Holy Trinity Church, Regent Road, Leicester, in a concert with the Bardi Symphony Orchestra on Saturday 24th January 2026. Keep an eye on the Bardi website for more details. 

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Bardi Wind and Oadby & Wigston Lions raise £7,000 for ABF at VE Day 80 Concert!

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14th October 2025

The Bardi Wind Orchestra and Oadby & Wigston Lions raise £7,000 for the ABF (Army Benevolent Fund) – The Soldiers’ Charity at summer charity gala concert.

Bardi Wind Orchestra Music Director David Calow, Orchestra Manager Robert Calow and members of Oadby & Wigston Lions Club were at De Montfort Hall at the end of September to present a cheque for an amazing £7,000 to Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Bryon Brotherton MBE, Chairman of the ABF Leicestershire & Rutland Committee. 

The money was raised at the Bardi Wind Orchestra VE DAY 80 charity concert held at De Montfort Hall in association with the Lions Club back in June. This year’s concert was very well attended with many civic representatives present and was the official VE Day 80 Concert for the County. A highlight for many attending the concert was Bryon performing ‘Amazing Grace’ on the bagpipes with the Wind Orchestra.

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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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The Bardi Open Their 2025/26 Concert Season This Sunday

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29th September 2025

On Sunday 5th October the orchestra’s 2025/26 Season gets off to a flying start with the welcome return of Jonathon Lo to conduct the Bardi Symphony Orchestra. 

The Orchestra spent much of an all-day Sunday rehearsal getting to grips with Rachmaninov’s grand Second Symphony, one of his most popular works. The large Orchestra took up much of the space in the rehearsal venue and the sound was truly awesome.  

Joining the Bardi during a run with the Royal Ballet, Jonathan Lo took some time out of his busy schedule to introduce the concert:

The programme, with the subtitle ‘A concert born in Hollywood’, does justice to it’s title opening with the little heard but very memorable ‘Casablanca Film Suite’ by Max Steiner evoking one of the most well-known and well-loved films of all times.  

Zoë Beyers, who is leader of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, will then perform Erich Korngold’s Violin Concerto which offers a perfect blend of action packed movie themes and virtuoso solo writing, and the second half will be taken up with Rachmaninov’s Symphony No.2. 

It promises to be a truly memorable opening concert for our 39th concert season at De Montfort Hall this Sunday.

Book your tickets here.

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Bardi Players Enjoyed Annual Social Ahead of New Season

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9th September 2025

Players from the Bardi Symphony Orchestra had a pre-season social get together to look back on probably the most successful season of recent years – the 2024-2025 ‘New Horizons’ season.  

The season saw a return to four concerts at De Montfort Hall with four high-profile conductors, a very successful Bardi Young Musician competition and Workshop day, together with record audience attendances.

Light refreshments and wine were organised by Jane Bevan, Christine Taylor and Tim Hobbs and a very professionally produced video of highlights of the seasons performances, made by our long-time video and audio specialist and very good friend, Alan Hames, was shown on the audiovisual system at Holy Trinity Church on Regent Road in Leicester.  

All good socials have time for a lot of chatter and there was much discussion about the new season which starts on 5 October.  Tickets for this went on sale last May and sales of the specially discounted three and four subscription tickets have already exceeded last year at this time. 

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