London Philharmonic Orchestra: Beethoven and Dvořák

The London Philharmonic Orchestra play the Royal Concert Hall on Thursday 11 March, part of the venue's Nottingham Classics series. Conductor Tianyi Lu leads the orchestra, with pianist Paul Lewis on the first half. The programme opens with Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3, followed by two of Dvořák's Slavonic Dances (Op. 72 No. 2 and Op. 46 No. 8), and closes with Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 'From the New World'. The first half runs from 19:00 to 19:50, followed by a 20-minute interval, with the second half from 20:10 to 20:55.

There's a bit of history to the Beethoven. The Third Piano Concerto was first performed from memory because the composer hadn't finished the score yet, so the pianist had to play it by heart. Dvořák's Ninth Symphony is a different kind of mix: Slavic sound, contemporary American influences, and a touch of jazz. Its Largo is the one that famously accompanied Hovis's 'quintessential England' advert, so you'll likely recognise it even if you don't know the rest of the symphony.

Before the music starts, there's a free pre-concert talk at 18:00 in the auditorium with Tianyi Lu, which is a good way to get your bearings before the first note. The critic's notes describe Lu's direction as exhilarating and Paul Lewis's interpretations of the central European repertoire as flawless.

Tickets range from £13.00 to £44.50 depending on where you sit, and under-26s and full-time students get in for £5 each. Bargain seats from £10 are available on the day of the concert. The age guidance is 7+, and under-14s must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over. Concert coaches run from several locations across the region, so you don't have to drive in. Doors open at 17:30.