Legendary composer John Adams conducts a 3-day celebration with the Hallé Orchestra & RNCM

Legendary American composer and conductor, John Adams, joins the Hallé orchestra for a special 3-day celebration of his music this week.

Hosted across The Bridgewater Hall and Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) from Thu 30 Oct – Sat 1 Nov, Adams will conduct the world-famous orchestra as part of ‘The Hallé Presents…’ series, which has previously welcomed celebrations of Steve Reich and Philip Glass.

The first concert takes place at The Bridgewater Hall on Thu 30 Oct with a performance of Harmonium – a surging poetic soundscape regarded as one of the composer’s
key minimalist compositions – brought to life by the Hallé, Hallé Choir and outstanding soprano Mary Bevan.

On Fri 31 Oct, the festival moves to the RNCM for an intimate lunchtime chamber concert followed by an RNCM Symphony Orchestra performance, before returning to The Bridgewater Hall on Sat 1 Nov with Scheherazade.2, a dramatic symphony for solo violin and orchestra performed by the sensational violin soloist Leila Josefowicz, for whom the piece was written.

Speaking about the festival, John Adams said: “I’m very proud of my history with the Hallé orchestra. I first conducted them in the days before The Bridgewater Hall opened. I’m especially looking forward to having the Hallé Choir perform my choral symphony, Harmonium, to having my longtime collaborator Leila Josefowicz play Scheherezade.2 (written for her) and to ending these concerts with the UK premiere of my most recent orchestra piece, The Rock You Stand On.”

Tickets to all of John Adams’ special performances with the Hallé Orchestra are available to book using the button below.