The best new music: who to hear, and where

By Claudia Pritchard on 3/2/2019

London music has broken through barriers for centuries. Be the first to hear tomorrow's classics, with musicians who explore new soundworlds

Thomas Larcher and the BBC Symphony Orchestra

The exciting Austrian composer Thomas Larcher is featured by the BBCSO in a series of concerts, with new works alongside concert classics. First up: a Larcher UK premiere plus Beethoven's Seventh, conducted by Karina Cannellakis (pictured). More on 22 Feb and 24 May, both with Mahler.

WHEN

From Fri 8 Feb, 7:30PM

WHERE

Barbican Hall, Silk St, London EC2Y 8DS

Akhnaten re-creates the grandeur and mystery of Ancient Egypt. Photo: Richard Hubert Smith

Akhnaten, English National Opera

Phelim McDermott's Olivier-award winning production of Akhnaten features American composer Philip Glass's slow-moving, minimalist music and a full-blown staging. Catch the amazing counter-tenor Anthony Roth Costanzo in the title role.

WHEN

11 Feb 2019 – 02 Mar 2019, six performances, plus one at 6:30PM on 2 March

WHERE

English National Opera
London Coliseum, St Martin's Lane, London, WC2N 4ES

Ligeti Total Immersion, Barbican

The Hungarian composer Gyorgy Ligeti is celebrated in a full day of film, talks and music. Highlights include Sofi Jeannin (pictured) conducting the BBC Singers, the biopic All Clouds are Clocks, and Ligeti's concertos for violin and for piano.

WHEN

Sat 2 March, 11AM to 10PM

WHERE

Barbican Hall, Silk St, London EC2Y 8DS

Composer Sir George Benjamin at work. Photo: Matthew Lloyd

George Benjamin, Roundhouse & Wigmore Hall

Wigmore Hall is the London home of chamber music but it also promotes new music and artists. For the first time in its long history, the venue moves its programme into the Roundhouse for one of two concerts celebrating the music of Sir George Benjamin.

WHEN

05 Mar 2019 – 06 Mar 2019, two concerts

WHERE

Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Rd, Camden Town NW1 8EH

Wu Wei & music for sheng

The sheng is a Chinese instrument that combines wind and accordion techniques. The world master of this mysterious beast is Wu Wei (pictured), who caused a sensation at the BBC Proms in 2014. Hear UK premieres of two works when Wu Wei joins the Philharmonia Orchestra, plus a modern classic by Guoping Jia.

WHEN

Fri 5 April, 6PM

WHERE

Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 8XX

Harrison Birtwistle and John Adams

The winner of the Orchestral prize at this year's British Composer Awards was Harrison Birtwistle. Discover his distinctive voice in the world premiere of a new work performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle (pictured). Also featured, American minimalist composer's Harmonielehre, inspired by a dream in which an oil tanker turns into a rocket. All new-music royalty will be here...

WHEN

Wed 1 May, 7:30PM

WHERE

Barbican Hall, Silk St, London EC2Y 8DS

Venus Unwrapped 2019, Kings Place

A major, year-long celebration of women in music at Kings Place champions today's extremely busy female composers, including Rebecca Clarke and Kate Whitley (pictured, 9 June), whose world premiere of poetry settings is played by the innovative Multi-Story Orchestra.

WHEN

10 Jan 2019 – 31 Dec 2019, events all year; times vary

WHERE

Kings Place
90 York Way, London, N1 9AG

BBC Proms 2019

Commissions of new music are as close to the heart of the two-month BBC Proms as performances of much-loved older works. Hear tomorrow's classics, and catch the composers live on stage – few miss the chance to see a Royal Albert Hall audience gripped by their music.

WHEN

Fri 19 Jul to Sat 14 Sept; approximately 100 events, times vary

WHERE

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, Kensington, London SW7 2AP, and other venues