Bardi Symphony

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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Beethoven 7 & Mozart Clarinet Concerto

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Beethoven 7 & Mozart Clarinet Concerto

Bardi Young Musician Concert

Saturday 24th January 2026 at 7:30 pm

Holy Trinity Church, Leicester

TICKETS on the door

Easher Austin Basset Clarinet
Bardi Young Musician 2026 Winner
Paul Hilliam Conductor
Bardi Symphony Orchestra

Fauré – Masques et Bergamasques, overture
Mozart – Clarinet Concerto
Finzi – Romance for Strings
Beethoven – Symphony No.7

Holy Trinity Church
Regent Road
Leicester LE1 6XE

Tickets
Adult £15
Concessions £12
18 & Under / Students / NUS £6

Although tickets will be available on the door, please book in advance where possible

Join the Bardi Symphony Orchestra to celebrate a local star talent of the future!

The winner of Bardi Young Musician 2026, Easher Austin, performs Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto on the original instrument the piece was written for, the Basset Clarinet. The concerto is performed alongside one of Beethoven’s best-loved symphonies, his seventh.

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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Watch Highlights from the 2024/25 Bardi Concert Season

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18th August 2025

The Bardi Symphony Orchestra’s 2024/25 ‘New Horizons’ season has been a resounding success, with audience numbers not seen for many years supporting the Orchestra.

You can watch a number of highlights from the concerts below, or by visiting our YouTube Channel here.

Sunday 1st December 2024
Ravel – Bolero (excerpt)

Sunday 1st December 2024
Respighi – The Pines of Rome, iv. Pines of the Appian Way

Sunday 23rd March 2025
Glinka – Rusland and Lyudmila Overture

Sunday 23rd March 2025
Stravinsky – The Firebird, Berceuse & Finale

Sunday 18th May 2025
Holst – The Planets, Mars

Sunday 18th May 2025
Holst – The Planets, Jupiter

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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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Rachmaninov Symphony No.2

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Rachmaninov Symphony No.2

Sunday 5th October 2025 at 3:00 pm

De Montfort Hall, Leicester

Jonathan Lo conductor
Zoë Beyers violin
Bardi Symphony Orchestra

Steiner – Casablanca Film Suite
Korngold – Violin Concerto
Rachmaninov – Symphony No.2

De Montfort Hall
Granville Road
Leicester LE1 7RU

Tickets £26 £23 £19
Concessions £24.50 / £21.50 / £17.50
18 & Under / Students / NUS £6

A concert born in Hollywood

After his critically acclaimed run with the Royal Ballet earlier this year, Jonathan Lo returns to the Bardi to conduct a concert born in the Hollywood hills. The first half heralds the Golden Age of Cinema with Max Steiner’s ground-breaking score to Casablanca. The father of the film score, Erich Korngold’s Violin Concerto is a perfect blend of action-packed movie themes and virtuosic solo writing, and is performed by Zoë Beyers, leader of the BBC Philharmonic. 

Rachmaninov (who also moved to Hollywood late in life) wrote his grand Second Symphony at the most successful time in his career and it is one of his most popular works, full of drama and emotion worthy of any film score. 

Dvorák New World Symphony

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Dvorák New World Symphony

Sunday 30th November 2025 at 3:00 pm

De Montfort Hall, Leicester

José Salazar conductor
Bardi Symphony Orchestra

Copland – Fanfare for the Common Man
Copland – Appalachian Spring
Márquez – Danzón No.2
Dvorák – Symphony No.9 ‘From the New World’

De Montfort Hall
Granville Road
Leicester LE1 7RU

Tickets £26 £23 £19
Concessions £24.50 / £21.50 / £17.50
18 & Under / Students / NUS £6

Inspirational folk music from the Americas

Dvorák’s New World Symphony, perhaps best-known for its Largo theme inspiring a certain bread advert campaign, concludes a concert of popular folk-inspired music from North and South America. Copland’s melody ‘Simple Gifts’ from his ballet Appalachian Spring inspired the Lord of the Dance, while his Fanfare for the Common Man opens the concert with the quintessential sound of Americana. 

Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No.2 has fast become a concert staple since its performances by the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra under Gustavo Dudamel, with its lively rhythms. Fellow Venezuelan and assistant to Dudamel, conductor José Salazar brings further Latin American energy to the De Montfort Hall podium. 

Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2

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Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2

Sunday 22nd March 2026 at 3:00 pm

De Montfort Hall, Leicester

Philip Ellis conductor
Antonina Suhanova piano
Bardi Symphony Orchestra

Tchaikovsky – Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture
Shostakovich – Piano Concerto No.2
Shostakovich – Symphony No.5

De Montfort Hall
Granville Road
Leicester LE1 7RU

Tickets £26 £23 £19
Concessions £24.50 / £21.50 / £17.50
18 & Under / Students / NUS £6

A Shostakovich celebration

120 years since his birth, the Bardi celebrate Shostakovich
with two of his most popular works. His Second Piano Concerto is a favourite amongst audiences with its beautiful slow movement and reached number six in the 2025 Classic FM Hall of Fame. The concerto is performed by award-winning Latvian pianist Antonina Suhanova. His equally popular Fifth Symphony concludes the concert with its triumphant finale. Fellow Russian Tchaikovsky wrote perhaps one of the most famous melodies of them all as the central love theme in his Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture, opening this concert. 

The concert is conducted by Philip Ellis who has led the country’s top orchestras over his illustrious career, in particular Birmingham Royal Ballet for 36 years.

West End Spectacular

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West End Spectacular

Sunday 17th May 2026 at 3:00 pm

De Montfort Hall, Leicester

Ben Crick conductor
Shona Lindsay soprano
Stephen John Davis baritone
Bardi Symphony Orchestra

A concert of West End favourites including The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Les Misérables,
Cats, Hamilton and more

De Montfort Hall
Granville Road
Leicester LE1 7RU

Tickets £26 £23 £19
Concessions £24.50 / £21.50 / £17.50
18 & Under / Students / NUS £6

The West End comes to Leicester!

From Les Misérables to Wicked, the Bardi celebrate the world of musical theatre in this concert of West End favourites. Star guest singers Shona Lindsay and Stephen John Davis both made their name in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera on the West End and return to perform with the Bardi alongside conductor Ben Crick.  

Join the Bardi Symphony Orchestra for an unforgettable season finale!