Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Unveils 2024/25 Season

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2024/25 season. Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan commences his fourth season with the Orchestra. The season opens on Thursday 17 October with a concert encompassing Domingo’s musical passions, from the dynamic Vigilia by Venezuelan composer Juan Bautista Plaza, and Strauss’ warm melancholic Four Last Songs with soprano Sarah Wegener, to the concluding sounds of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1.

Domingo Hindoyan, Chief Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, says: “This season is one of real joy for me as it’s now my fourth year with this wonderful Orchestra. The way our artistic relationship has grown over this time has created a strong creative partnership and I can’t wait to continue to work together and make more beautiful music. I’m particularly looking forward to bringing music from South America to the Hall and continuing our journey of Bruckner, this time with the Ninth Symphony. This season we will also focus on repertoire surrounding my love of music for the voice.”

Soloists, Debuts and Notable Anniversaries

In a season focussing on the musical triumphs of both choral and solo singers, Liverpool Philharmonic welcomes baritone Benjamin Appl as Artist in Residence. Benjamin will also make his conducting debut with Handel’s Messiah alongside the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir. Benjamin’s residency will feature a performance of Widmann’s Schumannliebe and a celebration of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, which will see Benjamin share memories and anecdotes about the iconic baritone (and his teacher) through his own personal diaries.

Following her recent debut with the English National Opera, Liverpool-born mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston returns to perform Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 with the Orchestra under the baton of Domingo Hindoyan. In a moving farewell, Kathryn Stott will give her final recital performance in the city where her career began. Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass will feature an international soloist line up including three Czech singers: soprano Evelina Dobračeva, tenor Aleš Briscein and bass Jan Martiník, with mezzo-soprano Katarina Karnéus and Liverpool-born and trained organist Daniel Greenway.

Continuing to introduce the city to new talent, the Orchestra will welcome many rising stars of the conducting world. Making their Liverpool conducting debuts are British conductor Adam Hickox who leads programmes featuring works by Anna Meredith, Barber, Rachmaninov and Walton; Joseph Young who brings the sounds of New York to Liverpool with Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story; and Erina Yashima with works by Mathilde Wantenaar, Shostakovich and Dvořák. Fast-rising conductors Matthew Lynch and Manchester based Ellie Slorach will be conducting Family Concerts; and Denis Sousa and Lidiya Yankovskaya will lead the Orchestra in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass and works by Missy Mazzoli, Brahms and Shostakovich respectively.

A host of artists return to perform with the Orchestra this season including Sir Bryn Terfel with a triumphant rendition of Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast alongside the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir. Trumpeter Pacho Flores will bring the sounds of South America to the heart of Liverpool with the world premiere of a new work by Daniel Freiberg. Pianists Simon Trpčeski, Víkingur Ólafsson and Paul Lewis will be performing a range of repertoire by Tchaikovsky, Brahms and Schubert. Violinists Chloë Hanslip and Michael Barenboim return for works by Glass, Roustom and Bartók.

This season’s programming pays tribute to significant musical anniversaries. Shostakovich is commemorated on the 50th anniversary of his death by Liverpool Philharmonic Conductor Laureate Vasily Petrenko with Suite for Variety OrchestraI, and Lidiya Yankovskaya with Symphony No.6. Pierre Boulez is honoured by Ensemble 10:10 for what would have been his 100th Birthday. 50 years on from their Eurovision-winning song ‘Waterloo’, ABBA will be celebrated in style by the Orchestra on New Year’s Eve with four West End artists.

New Music

Continuing their history of championing new music, Liverpool Philharmonic will honour a long-standing commitment by giving the world premiere of a new song cycle by composer Grace-Evangeline Mason. Husband and wife team, conductor Ryan Wigglesworth and soprano Sophie Bevan (who the piece was written especially for) will present this powerful new piece.

Domingo Hindoyan will make his debut with Ensemble 10:10, Liverpool Philharmonic’s dedicated contemporary music ensemble, conducting the world premiere of a new work by the 2023 Rushworth Composition Prize winner, Sam Kane. Ensemble 10:10 will also give world premieres of works by Phoenix Rousiamanis and Nneka Cummins. The Orchestra will continue its longstanding association with the Leeds International Piano Competition, welcoming the winner as soloist during an Orchestra concert, and the second and third prize winners for lunchtime solo recitals. The Orchestra will also give the UK premieres of Robin Haigh’s Concerto for Orchestra, Daniel Freiberg’s Historias de Flores y Tangos, Widman’s Schumannliebe and Matilde Wantenaar’s Prélude à une nuit américaine.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir

In addition to their annual performances in Handel’s Messiah, the outstanding Choir will also perform alongside the Orchestra in Holst’s The Planets conducted by Andrew Manze; Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast with Sir Bryn Terfel; Mahler’s Symphony No.3 and Verdi’s Requiem conducted by Domingo Hindoyan; and Janáček’s ear-tingling Glagolitic Mass. In the annual Spirit of Christmas concerts the choir will be joined by the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir and guest artist Roderick Williams will be the presenter for the series. Spirit of Christmas will be conducted by the Director of Choirs and Singing, Matthew Hamilton.

Pops Concerts and Screenings

Celebrating music from all decades and genres, the Orchestra presents ‘Symphonic 90s’, an evening of classics from that decade including tracks by Take That, Steps, Oasis and the Spice Girls performed by the Orchestra and show-stopping vocalists, conducted by Steve Bell. After the phenomenal success of last year’s event, Liverpool Philharmonic are once again celebrating Eurovision with the return of ‘Douze Points’. This season will also see the Orchestra team up with West End vocalists for ‘A Night at the Musicals’, as well as a celebration of music made and inspired by the city the Orchestra call home in ‘The Liverpool Songbook’.

Music from the big screen is brought to life as the Orchestra accompany film screenings of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™ and How to Train Your Dragon live on stage.

Family Concerts

A series of family concerts designed with young audiences in mind include special events for under 5s, as well as ‘The Fantastic Philharmonic Time Machine’ and the ‘The Bear Hunt Adventure’ inspired by the traditional children’s story We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. The annual festive celebration, ‘Santa Comes to Town’ returns, as well as ‘White Christmas’, a concert featuring well-known Christmas hits from Let it Snow! to Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

Close Up and Lunchtime Concerts

In Close Up concerts, audiences can experience intimate performances from Orchestra musicians and invited guests in the informal surrounding of the Music Room. The Lunchtime Concert series sees a wide range of recitals from a number of rising and established soloists and ensembles, this year featuring Marcel Becker on double bass and pianist David Dear, the Ensemble of St Luke’s and organist Ian Tracey giving two lunchtime organ recitals on the Hall’s newly refurbished organ.

Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company

Liverpool’s next generation of musicians will feature in a variety of concerts throughout the season, performing alongside world-renowned soloists and conductors. Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir will celebrate 30 years in a special concert and the 2025 Youth Company Festival will see 450 young musicians aged 7-21 take to the stage at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall in an incredible showcase of the region’s brightest young musical talent. The Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra will be led by their newly appointed Principal Conductor, Robert Guy, and will include a concert when they play side-by-side with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.   

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