This is the 12th year with G Live showcasing the best in classical music from around the world. They welcome renowned orchestras, award-winning soloists and esteemed conductors from around the world to perform, offering people a wonderful opportunity to see world-class musicians in Guildford.
Featuring six exceptional concerts, the season opened on Wednesday 13th September with the Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra returning to G Live with a programme featuring Mozart, Bartok and the “Eroica” Symphony, one of Beethoven’s most celebrated works.
Invited to attend, I was delighted to experience my very first live classic concert. And I was not disappointed. The performances were exceptionally good, with an excellent and very talented orchestra which is one of the oldest ensembles in Hungary. Mozart’s Symphony No 40 in G minor was known to me, and set the tone for the evening with its faultless execution. The second performance was Bartok’s Piano Concerto No 3 with Pierre-Laurent Aimard on the piano – and what a talented player he is. This is a challenging piece and Aimard brought empathy and great skill to a fine performance, alongside the orchestra which again showed its great skill. Fianlly we had Beethoven’s Eroica, which again is well known and apparently Beethoven’s favourite symphony. It certainly offered a contast to the previous piece. It’s a long piece, more mellow and joyful and the audience loved it. At the end, a long round of applause and standing ovations, only to then have the joy of three encores. Three! If you like classical music, do head to G Live. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.
In October, alongside Sibelius’ stirring and patriotic Finlandia, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine celebrates Ukrainian composer Borys Lyatoshynsky with his Symphony No. 2. Always a highlight, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra join G Live for two concerts this season, with works including Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and Dvorak’s New World Symphony.
Making their G Live debut, they welcome the English Piano Trio, who present Beethoven: The Man and his Music. Narrated by Christopher Ravenscroft and Ann Penfold, rediscover some of Beethoven’s best loved pieces. As a season finale, British violin virtuoso Chloe Hanslip joins the Czech National Symphony Orchestra for one of classical music’s most beloved pieces, Bruch’s Violin Concerto, in a concert that also features Smetana’s The Moldau.
This season they welcome Scala Radio as the media partner for the Guildford International Concert Season, and are proud to introduce The Cheryl King Trust as their charity partner. The Trust’s aim is to remove the financial barriers that prevent young people in Surrey learning a musical instrument. Providing bursaries for instrument and singing lessons, as well as grants to local music ensembles, G Live hopes to shine a spotlight on their work, and to inspire more young people across Surrey to experience the joy of making music.
For more inforamtion, please visit www.glive.co.uk/Online/guildford-international-concert-season-2023-2024-guildford-surrey
