Nigel Kennedy

Nigel Kennedy plays the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre on Wednesday 11 November, part of his first and biggest UK tour in more than ten years. It's a milestone year for him: he turns 70 in 2026, and this tour marks his return to the road on a scale he hasn't done in over a decade.

For most people, the name is tied to one record: his 1989 version of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, which made him an international star. But the set on the night pulls from a wider range. He'll be joined on stage by Alec Dankworth on double bass and Peter Adams on cello, and the programme mixes the standard repertoire with his own compositions. Among those are tributes to Yehudi Menuhin and Stephane Grappelli, the two men who taught and inspired him.

That background explains where the jazz comes in. Kennedy won a scholarship to the Yehudi Menuhin School of Music at seven, and by thirteen he'd been introduced to Grappelli, the jazz violin legend. The meeting sparked a lifelong interest in the genre that's stayed with him, and he's as comfortable with it as he is with the classical side of things. He also plays the piano as well as the violin, so the evening draws on more than just one instrument.

The concert starts at 7:30pm, and tickets are from £47.50.