First Listen: Beethoven

The CBSO bring Beethoven's Symphony No.3 'Eroica' to Symphony Hall on Tuesday 16 February 2027, as part of their First Listen series. It's a one-hour concert with no interval, conducted by Music Director Kazuki Yamada, and the Eroica takes up the full 47 minutes of the music on the night.

If you're not familiar with the First Listen format, it's a bit different from a standard classical concert. The orchestra is fronted by a guest presenter who guides the audience through the music as it happens, rather than just letting the pieces run. The series is built around one-hour performances that each open up a distinct emotional world, with the music drawn from love, defiance, or things left mysteriously unresolved.

Beethoven's Third is described as fiery, ambitious and heroic from beginning to end. Its solemn second movement is the Funeral March, a piece that's echoed through state funerals and mass memorial services for centuries. It's a big work to fit into an hour, and it's the only thing on the programme.

The concert sits within the CBSO's 2026-27 season under Kazuki Yamada, a programme that pairs major symphonic journeys with new commissions, international touring and bold cross-genre collaborations. First Listen is one of the more accessible entries in that mix, with the presenter there to walk you through the music while you hear it live. It starts at 6:00pm at Symphony Hall, and tickets are £5.