What's On

On sale Thu 13 Nov 2025 at 10am

Programme

Grażyna Bacewicz Concerto for String Orchestra (movement 1)
Ralph Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis^
Serge Lancen Concerto for Double Bass and Strings (movement 1)
Arnold Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht Op 4

Performers

Zoe Beyers director
Andre Chan, Davide Trolton conductors
Chris Hoyle conductor^
Théotime Voisin double bass
RNCM String Orchestra

About

Part of RNCM Strings Festival

Led by BBC Philharmonic Orchestra’s Zoë Beyers, the RNCM String Orchestra brings to life a vivid and expressive programme of captivating works.

The concert opens with what is arguably Grażyna Bacewicz’s most frequently performed piece. Nicknamed the ‘First Lady of Polish Music’, Bacewicz was the first female Polish composer to achieve international acclaim. This work, inspired by the Baroque concerto grosso form, has been described by critics as ‘a modern Brandenburg Concerto’.

Vaughan Williams’s timeless and instantly recognisable Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis follows. The theme, drawn from a Tudor melody Vaughan Williams discovered while editing The English Hymnal, lends the piece a hymn-like quality. Scored for double string orchestra, it remains one of the most evocative works in English repertoire.

Serge Lancen’s Concerto for Double Bass and Strings then follows, featuring soloist Théotime Voisin, Associate Principal Double Bass for the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

Finally, the programme concludes with Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht – a complex and deeply expressive cornerstone of the string repertoire, and an essential work for every young musician’s training.

The RNCM Strings Festival celebrates the versatility, beauty, and brilliance of string music through a weekend of inspiring performances and collaborations.

Tickets

Full Price £13
Student/Under 26 £8

Promoted by RNCM.

Festival Discount

Automatically receive 20% off at least one ticket per event when you book two or more events in the RNCM Strings Festival (excluding free events). Please note that this discount only applies when booking events as part of a single transaction. This offer cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions.

This event will include an interval and will end at approximately 5.45pm.