THE Ulster Orchestra's new season will kick off in September, bringing a diverse range of concerts to The Ulster Hall and Waterfront Hall in Belfast as well as regional venues.
Chief Conductor Rafael Payare will open the new season on Friday September 22 with a gala concert for Culture Night Belfast featuring guest soloist Sir James Galway.
Payare will take to the stage with two regular collaborators, pianists Vikingur Ólafsson and Jonathan Biss, to explore piano concertos by Mozart and will also introduce his trumpeter friend Pacho Flores to The Ulster Hall stage.
The main theme of the new season's subscription series is ‘The Great Concertos’: Principal Guest Conductor Jac van Steen will take the podium for Sibelius’s Violin Concerto on Friday December 1.
Other guest conductors this year will include Gergely Madaras, conducting Stravinsky’s suite The Firebird, and Jonathan Darlington for a performance of Brahms' German Requiem at Easter.
Belfast's Waterfront Hall is the new home for the Ulster Orchestra's 'pops' series, which this season celebrate the music of John Williams, musicals and disco legends ABBA.
Festive series I Love Christmas! will include favourites such as Handel’s Messiah with regular concert partners Belfast Philharmonic Choir, The Snowman family concert and Celebrate New Year in Vienna, along with a new seasonal spectacular, The Magic of Christmas.
The On Your Doorstep series is set to take concerts beyond Belfast, the JTI Lunchtime Series will offer monthly bite-sized musical treats and the annual Burns Night extravaganza also returns.
:: Tickets for all concerts available via Ulsterorchestra.org.uk, book four concerts or more as a subscription package to save money – discounts reach up to 25 per cent depending on number of tickets booked.
