The London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Enyi Okpara, plays Sibelius's Fifth Symphony with Copland's 'Appalachian Spring' and Wallen's cello concerto.
The London Philharmonic Orchestra are playing at the Congress Theatre on Sunday 24 January 2027, starting at 3.00pm. It's a matinee, so you'll be out well before dark, and the programme runs through four very different pieces.
Sibelius's Symphony No. 5 takes the top spot, and there's a nice bit of backstory to it: Sibelius was struck by the sight of a flight of wild swans, and the melody they suggested became the climax of the whole thing. It's the kind of tune that comes once in a lifetime, and it's the anchor of the afternoon. The rest of the bill balances it out. Copland's Appalachian Spring opens the set — a suite from his American ballet — and Liadov's The Enchanted Lake sits in the middle. Between them is a new cello concerto by Errollyn Wallen, who's the Master of the King's Music, with Laura van der Heijden on cello. The timings are laid out too: Copland runs 23 minutes, Wallen's concerto 15, Liadov's lake 6, and the Sibelius symphony 30.
Leading the orchestra is Enyi Okpara, the LPO Fellow Conductor for 2026/27, who's been described as a true rising star. The LPO itself is one of the world's finest, and it's a bit of a double act: they've got a long history behind them, but they're also known as one of the UK's most adventurous and forward-looking orchestras. They record film and video game soundtracks, run their own record label, and do a fair amount of work with schools and local communities.
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Tickets start at £17.50, which includes booking fees, and the whole thing kicks off at 3.00pm at the Congress Theatre.
