Conductor Adam Hickox joins us on stage at Bristol Beacon to lead a concert that begins triumphantly with Shostakovich’s Festive Overture. The concert will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and tickets for all concerts start at £8, encouraging audiences from across the South West to experience the BBC Proms.

Let’s take a deep dive into some of the pieces that will be performed…

A fiendishly fast composer, Shostakovich wrote his Festive Overture in just three days, and its jubilant nature suggests that it might have been an unguarded outpouring of relief at the death of his nemesis Joseph Stalin, one year earlier. This is a truly thrilling piece, full of fanfare and abandon.

The composer’s Cello Concerto, meanwhile, was written and dedicated to his dear friend — and renowned cellist of the time — Rostropovich. The pair shared a deep and collaborative friendship that lasted for over 30 years. Conversation flowed freely between them (often being lubricated by vodka!) and Rostropovich went on to play the Concerto all over the world, making it almost his personal trademark. Joining the Orchestra at the Proms for this piece is one of the most remarkable cellists on the international stage, Maximilian Hornung, whose playing is characterised by an extraordinary depth of tone and a natural sophistication.

Fairytale Poem by Gubaidulina was inspired by the fairytale The Little Piece of Chalk and was originally written for a children’s radio program. Gubaidulina’s work is defined by a sense of mystical longing, an embrace of freedom, and a belief in the transcendence of the human spirit. The composer was greatly encouraged by her mentor Shostakovich. When she faced censorship from Soviet authorities for her unconventional style, he gave her the salient advice; “My wish for you is that you should continue along your mistaken path.”

Rachmaninov’s last major orchestral work, Symphonic Dances, was also the only one that he composed entirely in America and was originally intended to be a ballet. Throughout the composition he pays homage to the lifespan of his career, lovingly referencing his first symphony which sadly failed at its premiere. Symphonic Dances also reflects an intense longing for the composer’s homeland.

We’re looking forward to returning to our residency at Bristol Beacon with conductor Adam Hickox, whose late father – the conductor Richard Hickox – was a leading light in British music-making and with whom we performed at the BBC Proms in the past.

For more information about our performance at BBC Proms click here. There’s lots more going on at BBC Proms Bristol too, check out their website here. And if you’re in the city, the Bristol Balloon Fiesta will be on that weekend too!