Stories

Five Reasons to Love Janáček's Jenůfa

There’s lots to love about Jenůfa, the opera that propelled Czech composer Leoš Janáček to fame, from its dramatic plot and multi-dimensional characters, to the colourful, folk-inspired music.

Theories of Forgetting: Hollie Harding

On Saturday 14 January at LSO St Luke’s, composer, curator and LSO Jerwood Composer+ participant Hollie Harding presents an evening of music inspired by time and memory including the world premiere of her brand new piece Theories of Forgetting. Here Hollie explains her approach to curating the evening, and how each piece connects itself back to the impermanent yet enduring nature of memory over time.

Joel Thompson on To Awaken the Sleeper: 'Baldwin asks us to build a new world'

Joel Thompson is an Atlanta-based composer, artist and educator best-known in the US for his 2015 choral work Seven Last Words of the Unarmed, that sets the final words of seven Black men who were killed by police or authority figures. On 6 November at the Barbican, London, we perform another of his pieces in the UK for the first time, To Awaken the Sleeper, written for orchestra and narrator. Joel introduced this new piece, and the inspiration behind it, to us.

André J Thomas on marking Black History Month with the LSO

Announced as LSO Associate Artist in May 2022, André J Thomas is a world-leading expert on choral and American gospel music. He has already brought his passion for gospel to two concerts with the LSO (March 2020 and May 2022), and this Autumn he does it all again, paired with a second concert of orchestral works from contemporary US composers Joel Thompson, Carlos Simon and Wynton Marsalis.

Read on to find out more about each concert.

Meet Tangram, Associate Artists at LSO St Luke's

As humans become more global, living outside places of birth or inhabiting multiple cultures, trailblazing collective Tangram’s mission will feel familiar to many. The group explores ideas of ‘transnational identity’ through celebrating Chinese and Western cultures in music. But their aims are deeper than that. The group wants to break down the idea that China and the West are mutually exclusive entities and connect both ancient traditions in multiple ways.

Seven times John Williams wowed the world – and it wasn’t on a film!

It seems unbelievable, but the pre-eminent film composer John Williams turns 90 today.

The Barbican at 40

40 years ago this year, on 3 March 1982, the Barbican Centre opened its doors for the first time, with a performance by the LSO conducted by then Principal Conductor Claudio Abbado, marking their new role of Resident Orchestra of the City of London.

Snippets from history: Walton & the LSO

During his lifetime William Walton had a long and close relationship with the LSO. Read on to discover more about the composer, his history with the LSO and his majestic Viola Concerto.

The Journey Behind 'D’un matin de printemps'

Find out more about composer Lili Boulanger and the story behind one of her most famous pieces, D’un matin de printemps.

Interview with Antoine Tamestit

We spoke to Antoine Tamestit ahead of his Artist Portrait series in the 2021/22 season, to learn more about his journey to becoming a musician, his relationship with the LSO, and more.

LSO Local: One weekend, 20+ Performances

Over the weekend of 25–27 September 2020, LSO musicians gave performances all across London (and beyond) as part of our very first LSO Local weekend. With players leading on every aspect of their own events, this special project brought music out to venues local to you, including LSO St Luke’s and our warehouse in Tottenham. 32 members (plus a few good friends) took part, not to mention members of the London Symphony Chorus, putting on over 20 performances in just three days.

Keeping on trucking with St John Ambulance

When you find your usually busy truck and drivers at an an enforced standstill, what better thing to do than to offer your spare capacity to those on the frontlines?