The London Symphony Orchestra and its Principal Conductor Valery Gergiev played works by Hector Berlioz to a crowd of 8500 in Trafalgar Square on Monday evening. The concert was the second in a series of annual outdoor concerts by the LSO in partnership with BMW that had its successful premiere last year with Stravinksy – also in Trafalgar Square. The concerts aim to bring free and outstanding classical music to everyone, in an informal open air atmosphere.
BMW LSO Open Air Classics 2013 at Trafalgar Square in London. (c) Kevin Leighton/LSO
Apart from Hector Berlioz’s “Le corsaire” overture, the orchestra performed a special arrangement of the “Symphonie fantastique” by composer Gareth Glyn – the arranger of Nimrod for the Olympics opening ceremony. For this, they were joined by young musicians from LSO On Track, the Orchestra’s award-winning music education and community programme, and students from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
Following an ovation, Gergiev and the LSO performed the Rákóczi March by Berlioz as encore. LSO animateur and composer Rachel Leach guided the audience through the evening.
With a capacity crowd enjoying the concert Kathryn McDowell, Managing Director of the LSO commented: “The LSO is delighted that their partnership with BMW continued so successfully on this Bank Holiday Monday and that so many people took up our invitation. We are already looking forward to next year’s concert!”
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