London Mozart Players launches autumn season ‘Classical Club’ in partnership with Scala Radio.
Eight classical concerts for live audiences and streamed online.
- London Mozart Players’ Classical Club is a brand-new series of 8 classical concerts,
filmed in unusual venues and streamed online 24 September–1 December. - Media partnership with Scala Radio to include live reads, interviews and extra content
- Classical Club features works by Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, Schumann, Prokofiev,
Stravinsky, Weber, Mendelssohn and Walton, plus half-term concerts for children - Concertos to showcase rising stars from Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT)
- Special guest artists include clarinet virtuoso Michael Collins, actors Sam West and Tama Matheson
- Not just concert halls: venues include Freemasons’ Hall, Syon Park and the St Pancras Clock Tower
- Limited socially-distanced audience at some concerts
- Audiences will be able to pay for an 8-concert ‘Season Pass’ (£50 if booked by 10 October)
or individual concert tickets (£12/£5)
For tickets and series information visit the Classical Club website page (click here)
In an innovative response to the pandemic that has closed concert halls or restricted audience numbers, the London Mozart Players is launching ‘Classical Club’, a ground-breaking series of classical music concerts filmed in unusual or iconic venues in front of socially-distanced audiences and streamed online via a password-protected broadcast platform. Classical Club is presented in partnership with Scala Radio, which will promote this exciting series to its growing audience of music lovers through live reads, interviews with the Club’s guest artists, and hosting exclusive content.
Classical Club’s eight-concert series includes symphonies by Prokofiev and Mendelssohn, concertos from Beethoven, Strauss and Schumann, quintets by Mozart and Weber, Walton’s Façade Suite and Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale; while the youngest music lovers will love Paul Patterson’s engaging orchestration of Roald Dahl’s Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs. It’s an eclectic mix that ensures there is something for everyone. As well as performing in the LMP’s favourite concert halls (St John’s Upper Norwood, Fairfield Halls Croydon, St John’s Smith Square), the concerts will be filmed in intriguing venues: St Pancras Clock Tower, Freemasons’ Hall, the Great Conservatory at Syon Park and the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Where possible, a limited socially-distancing audience will be able to attend.
Continuing an LMP tradition of supporting rising stars, the concerto solos will be performed by emerging talents from the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT). If Covid-19 has adversely affected musicians’ careers more than other artists, the damage done to those just starting out in the profession is perhaps worse, as there have been no concerts with which to hone their talent. LMP is delighted to introduce these brilliant young players to a new audience through Classical Club.
Having given its music away online for the last six months, LMP’s Classical Club concerts will be ticketed. Individual concerts are priced at £12 (children’s concerts £5) but the best value will be an eight-concert ‘Season Pass’ for £60, with an ‘early bird’ price of £50 if booked before 10 October. That’s per household, not per person. Concerts will be streamed weekly via the LMP website from 24 September, with the final concert on Sunday 15 November and all concerts available on demand thereafter until 1 December. Tickets for the audience events will be sold separately (£25 each).
The London Mozart Players has remained active throughout the pandemic. Not only was this player-led chamber orchestra the first ensemble to offer daily unique online content throughout lockdown with ‘At Home with LMP’ (225,000+ views), it was also the first UK orchestra to perform after restrictions were lifted in mid-June, with their LMP Live! concert series with Tasmin Little and Jennifer Pike attracting an audience of over 1 million via Classic FM’s social media channels. And now LMP is in the vanguard of UK orchestras testing the waters with paid-for online orchestral concerts to support their musicians, rather than relying on donations.
Julia Desbruslais, LMP Executive Director commented: ‘The LMP has a history of finding an opportunity in every situation, and the pandemic, which halted the world in its tracks, was no exception. From day one we began a roller-coaster ride of activity which kept our players playing, our audiences listening and new supporters swelling our ranks. Classical Club, our online digital series behind a paywall, is the natural development of this journey. Digital content has to play a bigger part in the programming of classical music and in order to preserve the amazing arts scene we have in this country it has to be paid for. We are terrified and exhilarated at the same time, and feel that music lovers will want to support this initiative which brings them sublime music, professionally filmed in beautiful locations, beamed right into their homes. What’s more, they get the best seats in the house! We are particularly excited to be partnering with YCAT, giving young aspiring artists a platform at a time when young people are struggling to build a future.’
Jenny Nelson, Programme Manager of Scala Radio commented: ‘We are delighted to be supporting this brilliant initiative which benefits musicians and gives our audience something fresh and different while we wait for the pandemic to subside. We are particularly pleased to be providing a platform for the talented young YCAT soloists as one of Scala’s aims is to encourage and support the next generation of musicians. We hope Classical Club will be a tremendous success for LMP, who we know love to push the boundaries of traditional classical music performance.’