The RNCM unveils a wondrously diverse Spring season ft. Leonard Bernstein, Original Voices Festival and more

From beloved orchestral classics to breathtaking ruminations on the meaning of live performance itself in the 21st century, the RNCM’s Spring season features an eclectic schedule of performances to satisfy a range of musical tastes.

On Sat 25 Feb, the legendary RNCM Session Orchestra returns to the stage for a special 50th Anniversary edition, with an evening of ‘incredible hits from an amazing line-up of musicians’.

On Sun 12 Mar, RNCM musicians present Leonard Bernstein’s ‘monumental’ Mass at The Bridgewater Hall, performing the composer’s profoundly creative reformulation of the traditional Catholic ceremony in Manchester for the first time. Brimming with ‘catchy tunes, captivating harmonic progressions and gripping rhythmic patterns’, Mass promises a raucously theatrical fusion of classical and popular music in an ‘extraordinary spectacle’, with tickets available for just £9.

On Thu 23 Mar and Fri 24 Mar, the RNCM’s Original Voices Festival celebrates new perspectives on music by ‘reimagining how we perform and present works from the past’ while exploring modern conceptions of live performance with a view toward the future of music.

Beginning at 6pm on Thu 23 Mar, the Kantos Chamber Choir present an original take on a choral concert, before the RNCM ArkEnsemble – a creative group of wind and brass players led by the school’s Head of Saxophone, Rob Buckland – showcase their dedication to musical innovation with a performance featuring theatrical elements, stylish lighting design and ‘striking presentation’ with all players standing throughout the show.

At 8pm on Fri 24 Mar, the RNCM’s International Chair in Violin Henning Kraggerud joyously reinterprets a variety of well-known works, including Bach’s Goldberg Variations.

For more information, visit the RNCM website.