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9th November, 2021

The Bardi Symphony Orchestra joined up with young musicians from partner organisation Leicester Grammar School on Saturday 6 November in an imaginative concert entitled ‘A set works concert’. A sizeable audience made up of parents and a lot of students enjoyed a chronological whistle-stop trip through the history of music from Bach to themes from the 21st century musical Wicked via Haydn and Star Wars!

All the works featured were from the current examination syllabus providing students and parents with an opportunity to hear the pieces live. Players from the Grammar School sat alongside Bardi players and, in turn, accompanied five of their fellow students in movements from five different concertos, with some players even slipping out of the orchestra when it was their turn to play solo. Informative commentary in between each piece guided listeners through some of the intricacies of composition and music history whilst interactive technology enabled listeners to vote on various aspects of the proceedings. 

The Bardi has long recognised the importance of initiatives such as this annual concert with young players in helping the players of tomorrow to develop their skills.

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There’s a just a week to go until the Bardi’s annual concert at Leicester Grammar School where the talented pupils get the chance to play with the orchestra! Featuring excerpts from concerto favourites as well as music from Wicked and Star Wars, tickets are FREE, so why not come and meet the next generation of musicians from Leicester

St Nicholas Hall, Leicester Grammar School
Saturday 6 November 2021
Concert starts at 7pm
Free admission (donations welcome)

Soloists from Leicester Grammar School
John Barker conductor

Featuring concerto excerpts from:
Bach – Badinerie (solo Flute)    
Haydn – Cello Concerto No.1  
Mozart – Clarinet Concerto
Mozart – Flute Concerto No.1 
Rachmaninov – Piano Concerto No.2     
Wienawski – Violin Concerto  

Plus music from:
Haydn – Symphony No. 100 ‘Military’  
Schwartz – Wicked
Williams – Star Wars

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6th October, 2021

Organ Symphony
Sunday 10 October at 3pm
De Montfort Hall

A programme with lots of local interest!

After their long enforced absence from the concert platform, the Bardi Symphony Orchestra, and conductor Claus Efland, are opening the 2021-22 De Montfort Hall season in real style this Sunday with an exciting programme that features lots of local talent! 

The concert gets off to a rousing start with Elgar’s arrangement of Bach’s Fantasia and Fugue in C minor before the first half concludes with Mendelssohn’s magnificent Violin Concerto with violinist Amalia Young. Now based between Oxford and London, Amalia was born and received her early education in Leicester continuing her studies at the Royal College of Music and is now undertaking a masters degree at Oxford University. She has performed extensively as a recitalist and chamber musician across London and has also performed in America at the New England Conservatory and in Boston.  Amalia makes a welcome return to playing with the Bardi Symphony Orchestra having made her concerto debut with the Orchestra in 2016 after winning the 2016 Bardi Young Musician Competition.

The renowned De Montfort Hall organ features in Saint Saëns’ ever-popular Organ Symphony in this centenary year of the composer’s death. Playing the organ in the symphony is the Leicester Cathedral Organist and well known local musician David Cowen. David has a varied career as a soloist, accompanist and teacher, he has toured internationally to France, Germany and Japan and made several recordings. He works regularly with choirs, in particular with Leicestershire Chorale, and is also a committed teacher regularly leading classes and workshops, and is currently an Individual Music teacher at Loughborough Schools Foundation.

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1st September 2021

The Bardi Wind Orchestra are delighted to be playing again after 18 months of silence in an open air concert in Hinckley’s Hollycroft Park this coming Saturday. Invited by Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council to give this special concert, they will be playing a host of upbeat popular favourites from stage and screen for the whole family, including Harry Potter, James Bond, E.T. and all your proms favourites.

Hollycroft Park, Hinckley
Saturday 4 September 2021
Gates open 5.30pm / Concert starts at 6.30pm
Free Entry

David Calow conductor
Jenny Saunders soprano
David Morris tenor
Colin Blackler compere

Appropriate covid-secure measures will be in place.
Visit hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/events for more information.

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20th August, 2021

The Bardi are delighted to announce the Young Musician Competition 2022 is now open for applications!

With a chance to perform live with the Bardi Symphony Orchestra, this is a must for any aspiring musician aged 18 or under, and an opportunity for audiences to meet the next generation of classical musicians from Leicestershire and Rutland.

Ten years on from the first Young Musician concert, in 2022 the competition is being relaunched and will now be open to young players of any orchestral instrument (strings, wind, brass and percussion) so if you or someone you know would like to take part, apply today!

Good luck!

Closing date: Friday 24 September 2021.
Those selected for audition need to be available on Saturday 30 October 2021.

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13th August 2021

After eighteen months of enforced silence the Bardi Symphony Orchestra are back with an enticing season of varied concerts appealing to all tastes. Their season opens in style in October with a blockbuster symphonic programme featuring not one but two soloists. The concert opens with Elgar’s sumptuous arrangement of Bach’s Fantasia and Fugue in in C minor. Former Bardi Young Musician Amalia Young joins the orchestra for a performance of Mendelssohn’s ever-popular violin concerto and, in the second half, the renowned De Montfort Hall Organ springs into life with a performance of Saint-Saëns ever-popular Organ Symphony featuring organist David Cowen.

November brings an afternoon of ‘Stage and Screen Favourites’. Join Claus Efland and the Orchestra for a lightening tour through decades of film and musical memorables. For an early spring Sunday afternoon treat, in March join the Bardi for ‘Fantasy and Adventure’ and immerse yourself in familiar but other-worldly sounds and let your imagination run riot. The programme opens with the mischievous Sorcerer’s Apprentice followed by the Suite from the tuneful and playful ballet Les Biches. The second half features Rimsky-Korsakov’s powerful Scheherazade portraying the timeless love story of the young Prince and Princess. 

In ‘The Essence of Elgar’ the Bardi’s De Montfort Hall season finale sees three works showing the different sides of one of England’s greatest composers, Sir Edward Elgar. The first half has the delightful String Serenade contrasting strongly with the passionate and powerful Cello Concerto. The mighty First Symphony brings the concert to a magnificent conclusion with one of Elgar’s most inspired themes.

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