An exciting programme of activities for 2026 will once again see talented young musicians from the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University join forces with the world-famous BBC Concert Orchestra, beginning with two spectacular performances this month – The Planets by Gustav Holst and Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi.
The BBC Concert Orchestra's Chief Conductor Anna-Maria Helsing will lead the musicians through the soaring celestial movements of Gustav Holst's orchestral suite on Friday 20 March, 7.30pm at Nottingham Trent's Newton Central Court.
A few days later, on 25 March at 7:30pm, the combined choirs of the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University perform Verdi's Requiem with the BBC Concert Orchestra, yet again under the baton of Anna-Maria Helsing, at Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall.
The collaboration – supported by the Universities for Nottingham Partnership – which is now in its third year, offers students the exceptional opportunity to perform alongside one of the UK's leading orchestras while celebrating musical excellence and emerging talent.
This collaboration offers another extraordinary opportunity for our students, and we are incredibly proud to see them perform alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra. Tackling these masterpieces is both a challenge and a privilege, and it speaks volumes about the talent, dedication and ambition of all these young musicians."
Holst's The Planets concert opens with Brahms's Academic Festival Overture conducted by University of Nottingham Conductor Harry Lai. Then follows an hour of Holst's cosmic soundscapes with Rachel Parkes, Director of the University of Nottingham Choir and Chamber Choir, conducting an off-stage female choir of singers from both university chamber choirs. From the thunderous energy of Mars to the ethereal calm of Neptune, the iconic suite takes the audience on a sweeping journey through astrological character and orchestral brilliance.
The BBC Concert Orchestra's partnership with the Universities for Nottingham continues to develop and showcase the immense music talent in the region. Working with the students has been a total joy."
Amy Bere, Director of Culture at Nottingham Trent University, added: "We're incredibly proud to see our students once again share the stage with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Opportunities like these are transformative – they allow our young musicians to challenge themselves, grow in confidence, and experience the exhilaration of performing works of this scale at a professional standard. This collaboration continues to enrich the cultural life of Nottingham, and we're delighted to play our part in bringing these monumental pieces to audiences across the city."
Wednesday 25 March's Royal Concert Hall performance, will showcase Verdi's Requiem, the only large-scale work that the composer did not write for the stage. But this dramatic choral classic offers sheer emotional power which deals in extremes of scale, from the outright terror of the Dies Irae – all doom-thundering bass drum and fire-spitting trumpets – to the intimacy of a pleading, unaccompanied duet in the Agnus Dei. Soloists Francesca Chiejina (soprano), Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Brendan Gunnell (tenor) and Matthew Rose (bass) will perform alongside the chorus of student singers and professional orchestra.
Verdi gives his enormous chorus plenty of chance to shine, too, as in the scurrying virtuosity of the double-fugue Sanctus. Given its capacity for shock and awe, it's not surprising that the Requiem has supercharged the soundtracks for countless movies, including Django Unchained and Mad Max: Fury Road.
Universities for Nottingham initially partnered with the BBC Concert Orchestra for a three-year programme which began in 2023 and has recently been extended to August 2029. The mission of the Orchestra is to 'bring inspiring musical experiences to everyone everywhere, with the ensemble's versatility as the key.'
The partnership continues to strive to develop and enhance the cultural life of Nottingham with University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University students having everyday access to a world-class performing and broadcast orchestra.
Booking information for The Planets concert can be found here; and for Verdi's Requiem here.
The Verdi performance will be available to listen here on BBC Radio 3 shortly after the broadcast.
