John Wilson and Sinfonia of London to Perform THE PLANETS at Royal Albert Hall in 2027

John Wilson and the Sinfonia of London will return to the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 9 May 2027 for a special performance of The Planets, presented alongside celestial-inspired works that celebrate the wonder and mystery of the cosmos. Other works to be performed in the space-themed repertoire include Josef Strauss' ‘Music of the Spheres’ and Jonathan Dove's ‘Stargazer’, featuring the renowned trombonist Peter Moore.

The Sinfonia of London brings together outstanding musicians from the UK and abroad, including principals and leaders from other orchestras, notable soloists and members of distinguished chamber groups. The orchestra comes together for various projects throughout the year and has become renowned for creating memorable musical experiences, such as the upcoming Grange Festival appearance which sees the orchestra celebrating the life and works of Frank Sinatra.

The present orchestra, re-established by Wilson in 2018, is the third of three distinct ensembles to bear this name − the original Sinfonia was founded in 1955 before disbanding in 1969, followed by the second generation between 1982 and 2002. Building on Sinfonia of London's significance historically as a recording orchestra, the present ensemble has released 30 albums for Chandos Records, regularly reaching No.1 in the Specialist Classical Charts, and many of which were recipients of industry awards.

In 2021, the orchestra made its live debut at the BBC Proms, and has returned every year since, as well as performing live tours across the United Kingdom. The orchestra has cemented its reputation for world-class performances and have been regularly featured on BBC Radio 3, BBC Four, BBC iPlayer and Marquee TV.

Both John Wilson and Peter Moore were recipients at the Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) Awards last week, with Wilson taking home the RPS Conductor Award and Moore becoming the first ever trombonist to win the RPS Instrumentalist Award.

The Planets is a seven-movement orchestral suite composed by Gustav Holst between 1914 and 1917, subsequently premiered a year later in London in 1918. It was first performed at the Royal Albert Hall in 1934. Each movement is named after a planet of the Solar System and has become widely performed in popular culture. Holst conducted two recordings of The Planets, with the suite being recorded a further 80 times around the world since then.

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