Philharmonia Orchestra London: Nicola Benedetti plays Brahms

About the Event

Immerse yourself in the stunning architecture of London's breathtaking Southbank Centre for the ultimate concert set to awake your understanding of classical music.


Acclaimed violinist Nicola Benedetti takes center stage this season as one of the Philharmonia Orchestra London's Featured Artists, presenting an iconic piece from the violin repertoire.

The first movement of Brahms’s Violin Concerto exudes an unmistakable spontaneity and vivacity, as if the soloist is conjuring the music in real‐time. The subsequent movement begins with an exquisitely serene melody introduced by the oboe, later elegantly adopted by the violin. The finale offers a spirited Hungarian zest, calling for an intricate blend of precision and liberation, vigor and emotion. Such a masterpiece finds its ideal match in Benedetti, celebrated for her 'grace, inner warmth, and dazzling dexterity' as lauded by The Scotsman.

During pauses in his hectic life as a concert pianist, Rachmaninov crafted his Third Symphony in his villa overlooking Lake Lucerne. Instead of encapsulating a vacation‐like ambiance, the music is imbued with a deep nostalgia for his beloved Russian homeland.

To inaugurate his premiere performance with the Philharmonia, Romanian maestro Christian Măcelaru introduces audiences to Nico Muhly’s One Line, Two Shapes. A 2021 composition, it encapsulates the profound solitude felt during the Covid‐19 lockdowns, resonating deeply with listeners through its evocative melodies.

Supported by Sir Sydney Lipworth KC and Lady Lipworth CBE