News, blog & video

New works are what keeps the musical world turning.

Ahead of the UK premiere of his violin concerto, composer band member of The National Bryce Dessner talked to us about the role that the natural world plays in his music and what is special about having his piece performed by Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Pekka Kuusisto and the Philharmonia.

With restrictions being lifted later this summer and performances returning to our schedules, we close our Lockdown Listening series with a selection of favourites.

Thank you to all of our contributors who joined us over these last 15 months of newsletters: Michael Fuller, Lord Mervyn King, Victoria Irish, John Wilson, Alexander van Ingen, Saul Nathan, Jakub Hrůša, Cheremie Hamilton-Miller, Matthew Hurlock, Lucy Drever, Julia Zilberman, Kira Doherty, and Byron Fulcher.

Explore the story behind our Philharmonia Gin in this blog post from Wardington’s Original founder and chief distiller, Shaun Ward.

The 2021/22 Season features landmark series Human / Nature: Music for a Precious Planet.

Principal Trombone Byron Fulcher share’s his listening list of brass, theatre, and sacred vocals perfect for a large glass of red wine.

Cashmere sweaters or gin and tonics? President of the Philharmonia Kira Doherty writes about Esa-Pekka Salonen’s tenure with the Philharmonia, ahead of the first instalment of his farewell concerts, coming up Friday 4 June.

The Philharmonia’s Artists in Residence House of Absolute present a weekend of workshops, talks and live performance.

Ahead of our concert on 13 May, composer Anna Clyne tells us about her creative process, finding inspiration outside music and the piece she dedicated to her mother, Within her arms.

A rare opportunity to hear Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducting British 19th- and 20th-century music. Mezzo Alice Coote joins him for Britten’s dramatic Phaedra and the classic Enigma Variations close the programme.

Mezzo-soprano Alice Coote shares her thoughts on Britten’s Phaedra, finding the human behind the story and staying true to her own voice.

Cellist Steven Isserlis, international exponent of Schumann’s music, plays his Cello Concerto. Conductor Simone Young leads this evening of 19th century classics, including Liszt’s Orpheus and Schubert’s Tragic Symphony.

Enjoy this fun-filled concert for children 0 to 99, with music by pioneering women and a dusting of Disney magic. Watch this free on our YouTube channel.

Schumann superfan and longtime Philharmonia friend Steven Isserlis writes about the composer’s cello concerto: “a magical masterpiece, every note perfect.”

Salonen conducts two live, socially-distanced performances at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall.