BBC Concert Orchestra and Nottingham Universities Launch 2026 Music Programme
An exciting programme of activities for 2026 will once again see talented young musicians from the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University join forces with the world-famous BBC Concert Orchestra. The collaboration, now in its third year, begins with two spectacular performances this month, featuring The Planets by Gustav Holst and Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi.
Performance Details and Schedule
The BBC Concert Orchestra’s Chief Conductor Anna-Maria Helsing will lead the musicians through the soaring celestial movements of Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite on Friday, March 20, at 7.30pm. This event will take place at Nottingham Trent’s Newton Central Court. A few days later, on March 25 at 7.30pm, the combined choirs of the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University will perform Verdi’s Requiem with the BBC Concert Orchestra, again under the baton of Anna-Maria Helsing, at Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall.
Collaboration and Student Opportunities
Supported by the Universities for Nottingham Partnership, this collaboration offers students the exceptional opportunity to perform alongside one of the UK’s leading orchestras. It celebrates musical excellence and emerging talent, enriching the cultural life of Nottingham. University of Nottingham Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Professor Jeremy Gregory, said: “This collaboration offers another extraordinary opportunity for our students, and we are incredibly proud to see them perform alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra. Tackling these masterpieces is both a challenge and a privilege, and it speaks volumes about the talent, dedication and ambition of all these young musicians.”
Holst’s The Planets Concert Highlights
Holst’s The Planets concert opens with Brahms’s Academic Festival Overture, conducted by University of Nottingham Conductor Harry Lai. This is followed by an hour of Holst’s cosmic soundscapes, with Rachel Parkes, Director of the University of Nottingham Choir and Chamber Choir, conducting an off-stage female choir of singers from both university chamber choirs. From the thunderous energy of Mars to the ethereal calm of Neptune, the iconic suite takes the audience on a sweeping journey through astrological character and orchestral brilliance.
Verdi’s Requiem Performance Insights
Wednesday 25 March’s Royal Concert Hall performance will showcase Verdi’s Requiem, the only large-scale work that the composer did not write for the stage. This dramatic choral classic offers sheer emotional power, dealing in extremes of scale, from the outright terror of the Dies Irae to the intimacy of a pleading, unaccompanied duet in the Agnus Dei. Soloists Francesca Chiejina (soprano), Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Brendan Gunnell (tenor), and Matthew Rose (bass) will perform alongside the chorus of student singers and professional orchestra. Verdi gives his enormous chorus plenty of chance to shine, as in the scurrying virtuosity of the double-fugue Sanctus.
Partnership and Future Plans
Universities for Nottingham initially partnered with the BBC Concert Orchestra for a three-year programme which began in 2023 and has recently been extended to August 2029. The mission of the Orchestra is to ‘bring inspiring musical experiences to everyone everywhere, with the ensemble’s versatility as the key.’ Matthew Swann, Director of the BBC Concert Orchestra, said: “The BBC Concert Orchestra’s partnership with the Universities for Nottingham continues to develop and showcase the immense music talent in the region. Working with the students has been a total joy.”
Amy Bere, Director of Culture at Nottingham Trent University, added: “We’re incredibly proud to see our students once again share the stage with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Opportunities like these are transformative – they allow our young musicians to challenge themselves, grow in confidence, and experience the exhilaration of performing works of this scale at a professional standard. This collaboration continues to enrich the cultural life of Nottingham, and we’re delighted to play our part in bringing these monumental pieces to audiences across the city.”
The partnership continues to strive to develop and enhance the cultural life of Nottingham, with University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University students having everyday access to a world-class performing and broadcast orchestra.
