Bristol Beacon announces 2025/26 orchestral season

Bristol Beacon has announced its 2025/2026 orchestral season, on sale from 23 May, featuring Orchestra in Residence Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Associate Orchestra London Symphony Orchestra, in addition to a range of national and international ensembles.

Image: Bristol Beacon 

A particular highlight of the season is the unveiling of the newly renovated organ with a celebratory recital by Anna Lapwood [Jan]. The Grade II listed Harrison & Harrison pipe organ was removed in its entirety in June 2018 as part of Bristol Beacon’s renovations and transported back to Durham where it was made. The organ will be returned to its new home at Bristol Beacon with a new name – The Britton Organ. In addition to Anna’s recital in January 2026, she will return to the hall in June 2026 to perform Poulenc’s Organ Concerto and Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 ‘Organ’ with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Chloé Van Soeterstède [17 June].

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra continues its role as Orchestra in Residence with five concerts throughout the season, four of which are conducted by their Chief Conductor Mark Wigglesworth. The Orchestra’s Celebrated Composer Dani Howard features twice, including a performance of her new Saxophone Concerto which will be performed by Jess Gillam and premiered in Poole the night before they bring it to Bristol Beacon [6 Nov]. Other soloists performing with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra include Sir Stephen Hough [2 Oct], Clara-Jumi Kang [26 Feb] and Alexandre Tharaud [12 Mar].

The London Symphony Orchestra return as the Associate Orchestra  for three concerts. Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano conducts Thea Musgrave’s 1997 work Phoenix Rising and Walton’s Viola Concerto with soloist Antoine Tamestit [13 Dec] and Conductor Emeritus Sir Simon Rattle returns to conduct Strauss’ Four Last Songs with soloist Lucy Crowe in a programme that also includes Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 [29 May]. The London Symphony Orchestra join forces with the London Symphony Chorus to perform Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius, conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano [22 Apr].

Simon Wales, Chief Executive of Bristol Beacon, said “Classical music is an important part of our varied programme here at Bristol Beacon, and we are proud to work with our partners at Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and London Symphony Orchestra to provide world-class orchestral music for our audiences. This season is particularly special with the unveiling of the renovated organ alongside a programme of concerts by visiting orchestras from around the UK and Europe. We hope the season offers something for everyone and we look forward to welcoming regulars, occasional attendees and first time visitors to Bristol Beacon in the autumn.”

A key feature of Bristol Beacon’s orchestral season is performances by invited orchestras from around the UK, offering their audiences from around the South-West of England and Wales the opportunity to enjoy the world-class performances in Beacon Hall. Visiting orchestras in the 2025/2026 season include the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Vasily Petrenko [16 Oct], City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Osmo Vänskä [20 Nov], The Hallé and Kahchun Wong, with soloist Viktoria Mullova [25 Mar] and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra who perform the UK premiere of Hisaishi’s The Border for three horns and orchestra, conducted by Vasily Petrenko [4  June]. Manchester Collective make their debut at Bristol Beacon, joining forces with the Marian Consort in Bristol Beacon’s Lantern Hall to perform Wintering, a new programme of music offering a balm for the soul ahead of the winter solstice [5 Dec]. The Manchester Collective return to Lantern Hall to perform a new work by Jasmine Morris alongside music by Purcell, Britten, Mica Levi, John Luther Adams and Arvo Pärt [3 Feb].

International orchestras performing at Bristol Beacon in the 2025/2026 season include Czech Janáček Philharmonic and conductor Daniel Raiskin with violinist Jennifer Pike [14 Feb], the Spanish Galicia Symphony Orchestra with conductor Roberto González-Monjas and guitarist Thibaut Garcia [10 Apr] and the Warsaw Philharmonic with conductor Krzysztof Urbański and pianist Alexandra Dariescu [18 May].

Ahead of the opening of the 2025/2026 season in October, Bristol Beacon will once again host a BBC Proms residency over the August bank holiday weekend. In Beacon Hall Paraorchestra return with folk duo The Breath to perform new arrangements by Oliver Vibrans [22 Aug], the Britten Sinfonia perform music by Sibelius, Arvo Pärt, Gavin Higgins and Mozart [23 Aug] and the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera present an all-Italian programme with conductor Carlo Rizzi and mezzo-soprano Avery Amereau [24 Aug]. In the Lantern Hall, Verity Sharp presents a special late-night live edition of BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction with special guests including Sarahsson and audio-visual artist Wojciech Rusin [22 Aug].