Our 2026/27 season playlist | Classical Concerts in Derby & Nottingham

What can you expect from our new season? With nine concerts in Derby and Nottingham between October 2026 and May 2027, there’s plenty of variety. From opera to tango, Vivaldi to Cole Porter, here’s a selection of music you can hear us perform live over the next nine months. Scroll down for details on when and where you can hear each piece.

When can I hear each of pieces in the playlist performed live?

Beethoven | Symphony No. 5 – Hear the famous ‘da-da-da-dum’ four note motif of Beethoven’s Fifth at Nottingham Royal Concert Hall on Tuesday 17 November, 2026.

Handel | Lascia Ch’io Pianga – Soprano Jessica Cale sings one of Handel’s most beautiful opera arias at Derby Cathedral on Wednesday 28 October, 2026.

Sarasate | Carmen Fantasie – Our leader, Sophie Rosa, plays this violin adaptation of themes from Bizet’s Carmen during our Parisian-themed New Year’s Eve Gala 2026 at Nottingham Royal Concert Hall.

Finzi | Five Bagatelles – You can hear this twice, performed once by our string orchestra in Nottingham on Sunday 21 March 2027, and a second time by our chamber group at Derby Cathedral on Friday 7 May 2027.

Hélène de Montgeroult | Sonata in A minor  – Sophie Rosa and Ian Buckle recorded this for their 2021 Violin Sonatas album. Hear them perform it live at the Museum of Making, Derby, on Tuesday 13 October 2026.

Beethoven | Violin Sonata No.5 in F Major – Another piece Sophie and Ian are performing during The Music of Jane Austen, with special guest Juliet Stephenson, in Derby on Tuesday 13 October 2026.

Respighi | Ancient Airs and Dances – Hear Respighi’s orchestral adaptations of Italian lute music during Vivaldi and Venice at Derby Cathedral on Saturday 6 February 2027.

Mozart | Clarinet Quintet – Our own Principal Clarinet, Matt Dunn, plays Mozart’s only Clarinet Quintet during a special morning concert at Derby Cathedral on Friday 7 May 2027.

Cole Porter | I Love Paris – April Fredrick sings this classic during the cabaret interlude of our New Year’s Eve Gala 2026 at Nottingham Royal Concert Hall.

Elgar | Elegy – This melancholic piece was written to commemorate deceased members of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. Hear it at Nottingham Royal Concert Hall on Sunday 21 March 2027.

Piazzolla | Histoire du Tango – Sophie Rosa teams up with accordion sensation Miloš Milivojević for a concert of Tango and Tradition at the Museum of Making on Tuesday 23 March 2027.

Bacewicz | Concerto for String Orchestra – An unappreciated gem from Polish composer Grażyna Bacewicz complements music by Vivaldi at Derby Cathedral on Saturday 6 February 2027.

Clarke | Poem for String Quartet – Rebecca Clarke’s stunning Poem for strings distils an intensely personal poetry and passion into just nine minutes of music. We perform it at Derby Cathedral on Friday 7 May 2027.

Salieri | Sinfonia in D Major Veneziana – An elegant, exuberant sinfonia from Mozart’s friend and rival, Salieri. Hear it at Derby Cathedral on Saturday 8 May 2027.

Handel | Water Music Suite no.2 – Handel’s triumphant spectacle climaxes Handel and Bach: A Baroque Celebration at Derby Cathedral on Wednesday 28 October 2026.

Haydn | Missa Sancti Nicolai – A Sinfonia Viva season wouldn’t be complete without a collaboration with our friends at Derby Cathedral Choir. They join us to sing the last piece of the season, written by Haydn in honour of jolly old Saint Nick.

 

What’s on when: your 2026/27 season at a glance

Date	Concert	Venue	Composers featured
Tue 13 Oct 2026	The Music of Jane Austen	Museum of Making, Derby	Hélène de Montgeroult, Beethoven, Weber, Bach, Cremer
Wed 28 Oct 2026	Handel and Bach: A Baroque Celebration	Derby Cathedral	Handel, Bach, Telemann
Tue 17 Nov 2026	Beethoven’s Fifth	Nottingham Royal Concert Hall	Beethoven, Elgar, Florence Maunders
Thu 31 Dec 2026	New Year’s Eve Gala 2026	Nottingham Royal Concert Hall	Offenbach, Lehar, Sarasate, Fauré, Debussy, Cole Porter
Sat 6 Feb 2027	Vivaldi and Venice	Derby Cathedral	Respighi, Bacewicz, Vivaldi, Corelli
Sun 21 Mar 2027	Nottingham Matinee	Nottingham Royal Concert Hall	Finzi, Elgar, Holst, Coleridge-Taylor
Tue 23 Mar 2027	Tango and Tradition	Museum of Making, Derby	Piazzolla, Bartok, Brahms, Sarasate
Fri 7 May 2027	Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet	Derby Cathedral	Mozart, Clarke, Finzi
Sat 8 May 2027	Viennese Masters: Rivals and Friends	Derby Cathedral	Salieri, Mozart, Haydn