10 best Christmas concerts from Classic FM’s partner orchestras

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at Christmas. Picture: BSO

By Siena Linton

 

As the season turns festive, we cherry-pick 10 unmissable concerts this winter, from Classic FM’s partners across the UK.

From unmissable Christmas concerts to steadfast festive must-sees, the winter season is one of the greatest times of the year for excellent live music.

So, whether Handel’s Messiah is a core part of your Christmas tradition, or you’re looking for a family friendly concert to liven up the holidays, here are 10 brilliant events from Classic FM’s partner orchestras and choir this winter.

Read more: The 30 greatest Christmas carols of all time

1. Throughout December: The Sixteen at Christmas

   The Voices of Classic FM, The Sixteen, take a choral Christmas on tour across the UK this winter season, from Gateshead to Saffron Walden. Together with conductor Harry Christophers, they present a guaranteed evening of delight ranging from contemporary carols by Gabriel Jackson and Cecilia McDowall, to long-beloved traditional favourites.

   When? Throughout December

   Where? Venues throughout the UK

   How much? Ticket prices vary by venue

   Book now

2. 1–9 December: Royal Northern Sinfonia present ‘Christmas by Candlelight’

   This December, Classic FM’s Orchestra in North-East England and at Sage Gateshead, Royal Northern Sinfonia offer up a classical festive feast, from Corelli’s ‘Christmas Concerto’ to Pärt’s Trisagion, plus brilliant music by Biber, Hildegard of Bingen, and Bach.

   When? Thursday 1 to Friday 9 December, 7.30pm

   Where? Sage Gateshead

   How much? Tickets from £5

   Book now

   

   The Royal Northern Sinfonia, conducted by Martin Yates, performing at Classic FM Live in 2014. Picture: Alamy

3. 4 December: Philharmonia Orchestra present Christmas at the Movies

   Classic FM’s Orchestra on Tour, the Philharmonia Orchestra, invite you to join them for an afternoon of music from family-favourite festive films, from Love Actually and Home Alone, to Elf and Danny Elfman’s spine-tingling score to The Nightmare Before Christmas.

   When? Sunday 4 December, 2:30pm

   Where? Royal Festival Hall, London

   How much? Tickets from £19

   Book now

   

   The Nightmare Before Christmas. Picture: Alamy

4. 4 December: Philharmonia Orchestra present Handel’s Messiah

   The Philharmonia Orchestra and the voices of 350 singers descend upon the south bank of London to perform a rousing piece of music that has become a seasonal staple: Handel’s monumental Messiah.

   When? Sunday 4 December, 7:30pm

   Where? Royal Festival Hall, London

   How much? Tickets from £20

   Book now

   This is Jeanine de Bique, an amazing soprano singing Handel’s Messiah

5. 14 December: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra perform Handel’s Messiah

   The festive season wouldn’t be complete without Handel’s Messiah, and this concert by Classic FM’s Orchestra in the South of England is sure to be among the best this year. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra are joined by the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus for their performance, under the direction of Laurence Cummings.

   When? Wednesday 14 December, 7:30pm

   Where? Lighthouse, Poole

   How much? Tickets from £6

   Book now

6. 15 December: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas Cake Concert

   Musicians of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra continue their Cake Concert series, as part of their ongoing work to bring music and entertainment to those living with dementia.

   This December, a flute, harp, and cello trio bring a blend of classical and popular favourites to the Poole community, with free cake and hot drinks during intervals.

   When? Thursday 15 December, 2:30pm

   Where? The Spire, Poole

   How much? Tickets £5

   Book now

   

   Members of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Picture: Alamy

7. 15-16 December: A CBSO Choral Christmas with Alan Titchmarsh

   Classic FM’s very own Alan Titchmarsh joins the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the CBSO Choruses for an evening of festive cheer, full of traditional carols and new Christmas classics.

   When? Thursday 15 & Friday 16 December, 7:30pm

   Where? Symphony Hall, Birmingham

   How much? Tickets from £26

   Book now

8. 15-18 December: RSNO Christmas Concert featuring The Snowman

   Classic FM presenter Aled Jones is in Scotland for a magical concert by Classic FM’s Orchestra in Scotland, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and their choruses. The family-friendly concert features carols for all to sing along to, plus the RSNO perform the magical soundtrack to The Snowman, in front of a live screening of the film, as Aled narrates.

   When? Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 December, times vary

   Where? Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh

   How much? Tickets vary by venue

   Book now

9. 17-23 December: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s Spirit of Christmas

   Classic FM’s Orchestra in North West England, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and two massed choirs come together for a whirlwind of festive music, featuring RLPO’s Artist in Residence trumpeter Pacho Flores, and presented by Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason.

   When? Saturday 17 to Friday 23 December, 7:30pm

   Where? Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

   How much? Tickets from £24

   Book now

   

   The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Vasily Petrenko, perform at Classic FM Live in 2014. Picture: Alamy

10. 23-24 December: RSNO present Gaspard’s Christmas

    The RSNO bring Gaspard the friendly fox to life in a special Christmas concert narrated by Classic FM presenter Zeb Soanes, with live illustrations by James Mayhew. Jonathan Dove’s music will fill the concert hall, as well as time-tested festive favourites including When Santa Got Stuck up the Chimney.

    When? Friday 23 & Saturday 24 December, times vary

    Where? Usher Hall, Edinburgh (Friday) & Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (Saturday)

    How much? Tickets vary by venue

    Book now

Where Have All the Audiences Gone?

by Frances Wilson, Interlude 

Examine the Reasons Behind the Decline in Music Audiences After Covid

There has been a fair amount of commentary in the UK in recent months about a noticeable drop in audience numbers for concerts as live music returns to (almost) normal post-pandemic. In almost every article and discussion, ongoing anxiety about Covid was cited as the main reason why audiences are not returning – whether anxiety about catching Covid in a crowded concert venue or opera house, or the possibility that the programme may be changed, or the concert cancelled at the last minute due to illness amongst performers.

In fact, audience surveys reveal that Covid is fairly low on audiences’ list of concerns (source here: https://www.audienceoutlookmonitor.com).

So if it’s not Covid that’s keeping people away, what is it?

© Kilyan Sockalingum on Unsplash

1. Cost of tickets

Concert tickets have noticeably increased in price since the pandemic as venues try to recoup lost revenue when they were closed or forced to operate with limited capacity (West End ticket prices are about c30% since the spring). This is in the face of a serious cost of living crisis which means people have less discretionary spending, even those from the more affluent demographic which tends to comprise classical concert audiences. As pressure on personal finances bites, people cut back on activities and spending which they may deem to be “non-essential”. Unfortunately, for many people, concert-going may now fall into this category.

2. Additional costs of attending a concert

On top of the concert ticket (c£25-£30 on average in London), there are additional costs such as travel and food and beverages (a glass of wine at a leading London venue now costs nearly £10!). Add these to the ticket price and it’s already turned into quite a pricey night out. (See 1. above.)

3. Time value

Is this concert worth my time? Will I get value for money and value for my time if I attend? High ticket prices raise the level of audience expectation: the higher the price, the less likely that expectations will be met, leading to disappointment (see also 5. below).

4. The seductively low or zero cost of streaming services at home

Why schlepp uptown with all the additional costs of going to a concert or opera when you can watch from the comfort of your living room, the only spend being a reasonably-priced bottle of wine from Lidl.

5. Programmes

Audiences are reporting that some promoters/artistic directors/venues are simply not offering them the kind of music they really want to hear. We have an inherent cognitive bias towards minimising disappointment over maximising enjoyment; this especially works against ‘new’ content.

6. Ease of booking

Organisers and promoters report that audiences are booking later and later, which is deeply anxiety-making for concert organisers. Because there is an assumption amongst concert-goers that there will be last-minute availability, and online booking is easily accessible via your smartphone, concert-goers will act accordingly and book at the last minute. This also ties in with 3. above, whereby people are weighing up the benefits/value to them of attending a concert and then deciding at the last minute whether or not to go. 

Some possible solutions:

1. Dynamic pricing — in which ticket prices increase as demand increases (a pricing model favoured by airlines such as EasyJet).

To make this work, you have to first open with a low ticket price and step-up prices as demand builds. So, for example, you might run an ‘Early Bird’ ticket offer in the first instance, and increase prices as the concert date approaches. Audiences may be incentivised to book earlier because of the special offer.

2. Lower prices across the board

Venues are reporting low audience numbers and while all of the points above may be contributing factors, price is the single most important issue at present. Most concert tickets are priced according to seat position in the venue – the best seats cost the most. While some people may enjoy the kudos of being in the most expensive seats in the house, I suspect many more would happily pay a lot less. Why not offer lower prices across the entire venue and enjoy potentially higher attendance?

3. Give audiences the programmes they want to hear

It is possible to offer programmes which include both the well-known/popular works of the classical canon alongside lesser-known, rarely-performed or new music. Remember that people go to concerts for entertainment (in the best possible meaning of that word), to escape from life’s daily grind for a few hours, to meet up with friends, and because they enjoy live music.

4. Build greater trust between promoter/organiser/artistic director and audiences

Nurture and respect your audiences and they will repay you with their presence. (I will write more about trust in a future article.)