Energising. Dazzling. Uplifting.
Sibelius, Ruders, Paxton and Adès
Thomas Adès and Sean Shibe
Barbican
Public booking opens Wednesday 16 April 10am
Priority booking for LSO Supporters:
Wed 9 Apr 10am LSO Ambassador Friends and Pioneers
Fri 11 Apr 10am All LSO Friends
Alex Paxton
World Builder, Creature (UK premiere) (15 mins)
Poul Ruders
Paganini Variations for Guitar and Orchestra (Guitar Concerto No 2) (16 mins)
Interval
Jean Sibelius
Symphony No 3 (29 mins)
Thomas Adès
Aquifer (17 mins)
Thomas Adès conductor
Sean Shibe guitar
London Symphony Orchestra
The concert will finish at approximately 8.50pm, including a 20-minute interval (timings subject to change).
Tickets
£72 £56 £39 £26 £18
+ £4 booking fee per online/phone transaction
Wildcard Tickets
£12/£16 + booking fee as above
Check availability and book
Limited releases throughout the season. Guaranteed entry, but your seat is only allocated on the day. Full details
Other Discounts
Save when booking multiple concerts. Discounts also available for young people, students, groups, and Barbican Access Members. Full details
The Concert
Kaleidoscopic music by Adès and Ruders meet Sibelius’ evocative landscapes, and the promise of vibrant new music by Alex Paxton.
The Music
The LSO welcomes composer and conductor Thomas Adès for the first concert in a series exploring Nordic music alongside a selection of Adès’ own works.
Here, Sibelius hymns the bleak landscapes and rich folklore of Finland, Dutch composer Poul Ruders riffs on Paganini in an exhilarating guitar concerto, and Adès imagines the ebb and flow of underground streams in music of palpable power and beauty.
There’s a new work by Alex Paxton, too – a former participant of the Helen Hamlyn Panufnik Scheme – whose heady sound draws on UK jazz, minimalism, experimental classical and more.
The Performers
Guitarist Sean Shibe is a brilliant advocate for contemporary guitar music, while Adès and the LSO are a formidable partnership for this concert of old and new.
Aquifer is a kind of virtuoso celebration of what an orchestra can do and how it can groove together.
Conductor Sir Simon Rattle
More to Explore
Seven Things You Didn't Know About Sibelius
In December 2024, we celebrate the 159th anniversary of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius’ birth. A towering figure in classical music, Sibelius is a national hero in Finland and revered worldwide for his powerful, nature-inspired works that continue to captivate audiences to this day.
Read on to find out seven surprising facts about the composer’s life and listen to his symphonies on our record label LSO Live’s newly remastered Spatial Audio version conducted by Sir Colin Davis.
Related Events
Music from the North
Thomas Adès and Johan Dalene
Thursday 23 October 2025 • 7pm
Thomas Adès leads us through the shimmering sounds of Sibelius and Rautavaara, with soloist Johan Dalene, and conjures magical images in his own evocation of a Celtic legend.
Soweto Kinch: Soundtrack to the Apocalypse
Thursday 13 November 2025 • 8pm
Saxophonist, rapper and composer Soweto Kinch presents the final instalment of a trilogy of works in collaboration with the LSO.
LSO Futures
Seong-Jin Cho: Artist Portrait
Thursday 20 November 2025 • 7pm
An evening celebrating music at the forefront of composition, as we hear three world premieres alongside Pierre Boulez’s Rituel.
Booking and Discounts
Booking Your Tickets
Online at lso.co.uk or barbican.org.uk
By phone on +44 20 7870 2500 (Monday to Friday 12–5.30pm)
In person at the Barbican Centre (no booking fee)
Refunds and Exchanges
Contact the Box Office at least 24 hours before the performance (two weeks for group bookings) to exchange your tickets for another LSO concert or Barbican credit voucher, valid for twelve months. A per-ticket administration fee applies.
The LSO reserves the right to change artists or programmes if necessary. In the unlikely event of a cancellation, all bookers will receive a refund.
Questions About Your Booking?
Contact the Barbican Box Office at tickets@barbican.org.uk.
Visit the Barbican website for conditions of sale.
All discounts are subject to availability and may not be combined.
Multibuy Discounts
Book 2 or 3 concerts, save 10%
Book 4 to 7 concerts, save 20%
Book 8 to 11 concerts, save 30%
Book 12 or more concerts, save 40%
Retain your discount for any later bookings within the season. Find out more about Multibuy Discounts.
Wildcards
£12 or £16 (£12 or £15 for Half Six Fix concerts), plus booking fee. Check availability using the Wildcard link in the Tickets section above. On the concert night, show your Wildcard order email at the Stalls box office to receive a valid ticket worth at least £18 (£15 for Half Six Fix). Find out more about Wildcards.
Young People and Students
18 and under: £6 tickets. Book online, by phone or in person.
14–25s: Join Young Barbican for discounted tickets to selected concerts.
Full-time students: Join Student Pulse for £10 tickets to selected LSO concerts.
Groups of 10+
Save 20% to 30% and enjoy additional benefits. Find out more about group booking.
Access Members
Members of the Barbican’s Access Scheme can book wheelchair places priced at the lowest price for that event and book a free companion seat. Join the Barbican Access Scheme.
Your Visit and Access
Getting to the Barbican
We are based at the Barbican Centre in the City of London. The main entrance to the Barbican is on Silk Street.
What to Expect
From the concert experience to venue facilities, find out what to expect from an LSO concert at the Barbican.
Accessibility
Find maps and guides, and join the Barbican Access Membership Scheme to let us know of your requirements and book access tickets.
Header Image © Mathias Benguigui
