This February marked the much-anticipated return of our family concerts, as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra brought music, laughter, and creativity to communities in Hull and Brent. From energetic games to calm, sensory-friendly spaces, these concerts celebrated the many ways people can connect with live orchestral music.
The RPO on stage for Synthony at Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando.
Peter Graham, a memebr of the Second Violin section, shares his experiences from the Orchestra’s first week of our recent tour to the USA.
I’m currently in Fairfax, Virginia, the George Mason Center for Performing Arts, and we're about just over half-way through our American tour. We started down in Orlando in Florida, and we had a bit of a disastrous start to the tour, I think it's fair to say.
Tuesday 3 February marked a powerful return to London for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and our Music Director Vasily Petrenko, as we took to the stage of the Royal Festival Hall for our first concert back in London of 2026 after our tour to the US. Framed by two towering Soviet-era works, the programme traced a compelling journey through resistance, resilience, and revolutionary musical thought.
All photos © Sarah Louise Bennett
After being part of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for nearly 40 years, we recently said goodbye to retiring cellist Bill Heggart. Playing under conductors such as Andre Previn, Yuri Temirkanov and Vasily Petrenko, and touring the world with us from Mexico to China, he has been an invaluable member of our community of musicians. Thank you for making music with us, Bill.
