Eight essential classical and jazz concerts to see in 2024
Seb Rochford and Kit Downes
Drummer Seb Rochford and keyboardist Kit Downes always create something delightfully unpredictable, but this tour, dedicated to Rochford’s memorial piece for his father A Short Diary will strike a deeper note.
Norwich Arts Centre (norwichartscentre.co.uk), Jan 10-18 and touring
Maxim plays Mozart and Haydn
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s 50th birthday concert showcases multi-talented Principal Conductor Maxim Emelyanychev, who leads Haydn’s Surprise Symphony and then rushes to the piano for Mozart’s delicious two-piano concerto.
The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh (thequeenshall.net), Jan 18; also City Halls, Glasgow (glasgowlife.org.uk), Jan 19
Kronos Quartet
The 50th birthday tour of the planet’s grooviest string quartet stops off at Bristol’s newly revamped Beacon Hall for a survey of past collaborations including Sigur Rós, Angélique Kidjo and Laurie Anderson.
Bristol Beacon, Beacon Hall (bristolbeacon.org), Jan 18
Steve Reich festival
The Hallé Orchestra salutes the greatest of all musical minimalists, in a lavish programme across three days, in the company of Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood and percussionist Colin Currie.
The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester (halle.co.uk), Feb 1-3
Scheherazade, and Dessner with Alice Sara Ott
The brilliant German/Japanese pianist Alice Sara Ott gives the UK premiere of a new piano concerto by Bryce Dessner, possible the only winner of Grammy Awards in both pop and classical categories.
Royal Festival Hall, London SE1 (southbankcentre.co.uk), Feb 15
Big Bruckner Weekend
Anton Bruckner, the composer of “cathedrals in sound” needs a grand festival to match, and this certainly measures up. His final three symphonies plus his “Great” Mass and solitary string quintet will leave you awestruck.
Glasshouse Centre, Gateshead (theglasshouseicm.org), March 1-3
Frenzy
The latest orchestral opus from famed American composer John Adams evokes states of “delirious fury and enthusiasm.” With Sir Simon Rattle at the helm of the London Symphony Orchestra, the delirium will be perfectly controlled.
Barbican Centre, London EC2 (barbican.org.uk), March 3 also Bristol Beacon, Beacon Hall (bristolbeacon.org), March 4
Aurora Orchestra & Allan Clayton
Britain’s most adventurous symphony orchestra and emotionally powerful tenor join forces for Schubert’s desolate, heart-breaking Winterreise (A Winter Journey), reimagined for a symphony orchestra.
Queen Elizabeth Hall, London SE1 (southbankcentre.co.uk), March 14 & 16