Centre Stage: Beethoven's Septet

Beethoven's Septet comes to the CBSO Centre on Friday 23 April 2027, part of the CBSO's Centre Stage series. It's a chamber concert rather than a full orchestral one, with seven musicians taking the stage to play the Septet in its entirety. The piece itself runs for about 41 minutes, and the whole performance lasts around an hour with no interval, so it's a straightforward afternoon session.

The line-up brings together strings, woodwind and brass: Oliver Janes on clarinet, Nikolaj Henriques on bassoon, Elspeth Dutch on French horn, Eugene Tzikindelean on violin, Adam Römer on viola, Arthur Boutillier on cello, and Tony Alcock on double bass. It's a big group for a chamber piece, and the Septet is one of Beethoven's more expansive works from his middle period. The CBSO describes it as one of his greatest hits in his own lifetime, a pocket masterpiece that packs in symphonic drama, delicate poetry, musical jokes and catchy tunes. It's a good summary of what the piece does: it shifts between the grand and the intimate, and it doesn't sit still for long.

Centre Stage is an informal afternoon strand, programmed and introduced by the orchestra's own musicians. The idea is to bring audiences closer to their artistry in a smaller setting than the main hall. The series was started by the CBSO's Director of Artistic Planning, Catherine Arlidge, back when she was still playing in the second violins, and it usually pairs chamber favourites with lesser-known gems. This particular performance falls within the CBSO 2026-27 season under Music Director Kazuki Yamada.

Tickets are £12, with reduced prices for students, under-18s and benefit recipients. The concert starts at 1:00pm at the CBSO Centre in Birmingham, and since it runs for about an hour without an interval, you'll be out by early afternoon.