.JPG "Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Domingo Hindoyan (Photo: Gareth Jones)") |
| Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Domingo Hindoyan (Photo: Gareth Jones) |
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s 2026/27 will be Domingo Hindoyan’s sixth as chief conductor and his concerts with the orchestra feature a wide range of repertoire including a complete Beethoven symphony cycle over two weeks.
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is the UK’s oldest continuing professional symphony orchestra. The origins of the Orchestra’s concert series date back to the formation of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society by a group of Liverpool music lovers in 1840.
Hindoyan opens the season with Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, with soloists Lucy Crowe and Natalie Lewis. Other highlights of his concerts include the premiere of a work by Dani Howard celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Orchestra’s partnership with Classic FM; Hindemith’s Mathis der Mahler Symphony, Roussel’s Symphony No. 3 and Aleppo Songs by Syrian-American composer Kareem Roustom.
Hindoyan’s Beethoven cycle features all nine symphonies across five concerts during January 2027, whilst Beethoven’s chamber music is spread across the season and Liverpool Philharmonic’s 10:10 present Reinventing Beethoven celebrating composers who have been inspired by him including John Adams, Jay Capperauld, Samantha Fernando, Caroline Shaw, and George Stevenson.
Another anniversary is 50 years since Britten’s death and the season includes the Violin Concerto with Simone Lamsma, the Cello Symphony with Guy Johnston, Suite on English Folk Tunes, Sinfonia da Requiem, Four Sea Interludes, A Charm of Lullabies and more.
The Orchestra’s composer-in-focus is Caroline Shaw and works include the full orchestra in Observatory and a range of works with Liverpool Philharmonic’s 10:10, the Orchestra’s contemporary music ensemble. The Orchestra has premiered and commissioned more than 300 new works over the past twenty years, and its Rushworth Composition Prize, which provides a range of opportunities for early-career composers. The winner of the Rushworth Composition Prize in 2018, Carmel Smickersgill has A Brick Thrown With Love premiered by the Orchestra at the BBC Proms. Gavin Higgins’ new clarinet concerto, written specially for artist in residence Mark Simpson receives its world premiere, marking the conclusion of Simpson’s residency.
Liverpool Philharmonic’s 10:10 showcase for new music from North West-based composers includes a world premiere from the 10th Rushworth Composition Prize winner Andrew Barney, alongside works by Mark Simpson, Grace-Evangeline Mason and Nneka Cummins, and a new work by 11th Rushworth Composition Prize winner Rob Hughes. The youngest ever finalist of the Leeds International Piano Competition, Kai-Min Chang, received the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society Award and gives the world premiere of Errollyn Wallen’s Acid Drop, commissioned especially for him as part of the prize.
Through its Made in Merseyside series, the Orchestra provides a platform for artists at every stage of their careers, from emerging voices to internationally recognised names, while supporting pathways from regional training to national and global stages, including through In Harmony and Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, which together reach over 2,280 young people in the city each week.
This season includes collaborations with Liverpool-born vocalist MT Jones, rising singer- songwriter Lucca Mae, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, and Bill Ryder-Jones, who reunites with the orchestra to mark the 15th anniversary of his debut solo album, plus contributions from North West artists such as Nneka Cummins and Timothy Jackson, and performances featuring Cumbrian mezzo-soprano Jess Dandy.
Principal Guest Conductor Andrew Manze opens the season and Conductor Laureate Vasily Petrenko returns. Guest conductors include Karel Deseure, Adam Hickox, Andris Poga, Kristiina Poska, Dinis Sousa and Joshua Weilerstein, alongside conducting debuts from Alena Hron, Kellen Grey and Bar Avni.
Full details from the Orchestra’s website.
