Friday Night is Music Night

On Friday, 26 June 2026, the Brighton Dome will host a live performance of the long-running BBC Radio 3 programme, Friday Night is Music Night. This event marks the debut of the show in Brighton, bringing the BBC Concert Orchestra to the Concert Hall as part of the venue's spring season. George Jackson is confirmed as the conductor for the evening, leading the orchestra through a programme that mirrors the variety typically heard on the radio broadcast. It’s an opportunity to see how the production comes together in a live environment, moving the music from the studio to a local stage for an evening focused on orchestral performance.

The repertoire selected for the evening features a range of orchestral works from several prominent composers. The audience will hear pieces by Elgar, Samuel Coleridge Taylor, Grieg, Vaughan Williams, and Walton. In addition to these classical mainstays, the concert includes a guest singer who will perform a selection of songs made famous by Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone. This combination of orchestral arrangements and jazz standards is a central part of the event's structure, providing a contrast between the different musical eras and styles represented. The programme is designed to offer a mix of familiar melodies and classical favourites, aiming for a broad appeal across different generations of listeners.

For those looking at the practical side of things, the doors to the Concert Hall open at 18:45, and the music is scheduled to begin at 19:30. Tickets are available at different price points, starting at £15 and going up to £45, which is the standard range for the official venue booking. The event is described as a celebration of music for a wide audience, including families and regular listeners of the BBC. Because it is a live recording of a BBC programme, the timing and flow of the evening will follow the requirements of the broadcast, offering a look at the intersection of live performance and radio production right here in Brighton.