The Listening Club: Dido and Aeneazz

If you’ve been keeping an eye on the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2026/27 season, you might have noticed a smaller, more focused event popping up on the schedule. It’s called The Listening Club, and it’s happening on 12 November 2026 at the Brighton Unitarian Church. It’s essentially an hour-long illustrated lecture led by Joanna MacGregor, who is the Music Director for the BPO. Rather than a full performance, this is a chance to sit down and look at the music from a different angle, specifically focusing on the programme for the upcoming 'Dido and Aeneazz: Purcell, Pachelbel and Jazz' concert.

The session is designed to help listeners get a better grasp of the pieces being performed. Since MacGregor is leading the discussion, she’ll be breaking down the themes and the connections between the different composers and styles featured in the programme. It’s a practical way to get some context before the main performance, which is scheduled for 15 November 2026 over at the Corn Exchange. If you’re the type of person who likes to understand the history or the structure of the music before sitting down for a full concert, this session is designed for that. It offers a bit of preparation that can change how you hear the music when the orchestra actually takes the stage a few days later.

It’s a fairly accessible setup, with tickets priced at £1.00. It’s aimed at anyone who follows the BPO or has an interest in classical music and wants to dig a little deeper into the repertoire. It’s not a massive production, just a focused hour of conversation and illustration, which makes it a quiet addition to the local calendar for those interested in the mechanics of the season’s programming. The Brighton Unitarian Church provides a fairly intimate setting for this kind of talk, which fits the format of a lecture rather than a large-scale event. It’s a straightforward, low-pressure way to spend an hour if you’re already planning to attend the concert or just have an interest in the BPO’s current season.