LCO Next Concert
Sat, 4th July 2026, 7:30 PM
£24, £18
Join the London City Orchestra at Smith Square Hall to witness music's extraordinary power to transform human suffering into transcendent art.
We begin with Brahms’ ‘Tragic Overture’, which confronts darkness head-on. Composed in 1880 as the sombre counterpart to his ‘Academic Festival Overture’, it whips up a storm of emotional energy, embodying what Brahms called “the serious side of life”.
Next is Sibelius’ haunting ‘Valse Triste’. Originally composed for a 1903 play, this melancholic waltz depicts a dying woman’s fevered dream, where she dances with memories and ghosts. At the end, four solo violins add a fragile, otherworldly coda.
Shostakovich’s monumental Seventh Symphony completes the arc from despair to defiance. It was composed during the 1941 siege of Leningrad, a time of unimaginable suffering for citizens. This epic work transforms the nightmare of war – represented by the famous ‘invasion theme’ in the first movement – into ultimate victory.
The most significant performance took place in Leningrad in August 1942, when loudspeakers broadcast the work throughout the city as an act of resistance. Today, Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony remains symbolic of a spirit of hope and resilience.
Programme
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Brahms - Tragic Overture Op.81
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Sibelius - Valse Triste Op. 44 No. 1
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Shostakovich - Symphony No. 7 "Leningrad"
Sat, 21st November 2026, 7:30 PM
£24, £18, £15
The London City Orchestra brings Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 2, the ‘Resurrection’, to Fairfield Concert Hall. Under the energetic and thoughtful direction of conductor Adrián Varela, the orchestra is joined by two outstanding vocal ensembles: the acclaimed Elysian Singers and the vibrant Hesperos Choir.
From its dramatic, brooding opening to the transcendent finale—complete with roaring pipe organ, massed choirs, and soloists—the performance promises an unforgettable evening of passion, power, and uplift. Whether you are a lifelong Mahler devotee or experiencing this symphonic masterpiece for the first time, join us for a moving and joyful communal celebration in one of the UK's finest acoustic spaces.
Conductor: Adrián Varela Choirs: The Elysian Singers & Hesperos Choir
Programme: Mahler - Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection'
Welcome to London City Orchestra
The London City Orchestra was formed in January 2013, and since then has worked itself to the foreground of the classical music scene in London. Run by a Board of Trustees and its elected Committee, the orchestra’s mission is to nurture aspiring musicians and non-professional music making throughout London, the Southeast and the UK.
The orchestra performs a minimum of three concerts per season, and rehearses weekly on Mondays from 7pm - 9.30pm, in the City of London.
