Philharmonia Orchestra Insights Talk - Xian Zhang in conversation with John Florance

Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen chats with John Florance at De Montfort Hall in Leicester: the conversation touches on Sibelius and his Violin Concerto, the relationship between soloist and conductor, and whether you really do need to know the narrative behind a piece of music to truly appreciate it. 

Composer Mark-Anthony Turnage talks with writer and presenter Katy Hamilton about his new work for horn, Towards Alba, premiered by Richard Watkins (horn) and the Philharmonia Orchestra on 16 Jan 2020 at the Royal Festival Hall. Part of the Philharmonia Orchestra's 75th birthday celebrations - click for more information: www.philharmonia.co.uk/POat75

Enjoy this wide-ranging talk with conductor Pablo Heras-Casado and Natasha Riordan-Eva, delving into the life of the French composer Lili Boulanger, French impressionist music and early music. Heras-Casado also talks about his extensive recording work and what to do when you've just had too much music! www.philharmonia.co.uk

Conductor Elim Chan speaks to John Florence at De Montfort Hall in Leicester in a fascinating pre-concert talk that covers ballet, dreams of being a coroner and why conducting orchestras can be like dating. www.philharmonia.co.uk

Gavin Plumley, Series Advisor to the Philharmonia Orchestra's series Weimar Berlin: Bittersweet Metropolis, presents another look at Alban Berg's Violin Concerto, demonstrating how the simple dedication, "To the memory of an angel," tells only part of the story. Written after the early death of Alma Mahler and Walter Gropius's daughter, Manon, Plumley unearths some of the many "ghosts" lurking in the score and shares stories of love, betrayal and politics in Vienna high society. Recorded 26 Sept 2019, Royal Festival Hall, London. Please note that the first five minutes of the talk were not recorded after a technical fault. More on the series: http://philharmonia.co.uk/weimar_berlin

Series Advisor Gavin Plumley launches the Philharmonia Orchestra's Weimar Berlin: Bittersweet Metropolis concert series with a pre-concert talk with historian, Philipp Blom, author of Fracture: Life and Culture in the West 1918-1938. The two draw clear parallels between Weimar Germany and today's changing world. The series continues in June and September 2019: https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/series/82/weimar_berlin_bittersweet_metropolis

Conductor Pablo Heras-Casado chats with John Florence ahead of a concert at De Montfort Hall in Leicester with the Philharmonia Orchestra. They discuss how Pablo got his slightly unusual start in conducting, his love of early music, and the importance of the conductor to champion less popular repertoire.

John Florance talks to Conductor Xian Zhang ahead of her concert at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester on 29th March 2019.

The Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Philharmonia Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen, talks to BBC Radio 3 presenter Andrew McGregor about his Cello Concerto which took place at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday 24th February.

Organist James McVinnie introduces the UK premiere of Peter Eotvos' Multiversum, which happened at the Royal Festival Hall in London on 7 February 2019.