• From Monday 26 August - Sunday 1 September, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra will perform over 25 free events in one week across Birmingham (and beyond)
• CBSO musicians will pop-up at iconic Birmingham locations including New Street Station, The Bullring, Library of Birmingham, IKON Gallery, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Grosvenor Road Studios, Thinktank and the Botanical Gardens
• Music Director Kazuki Yamada will treat commuters to live music on the tram
• Audience members will have a chance to conduct Birmingham’s Orchestra on the concourse at New Street Station
• CBSO will hold their first £1 ticket event for Birmingham residents on Sunday 1 September
• CBSO in the City is generously supported by John Osborn CBE and NBB Law

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) and its Music Director Kazuki Yamada will fill Birmingham with music this August, as the orchestra head out of the concert hall and into the city for a week of free performances in public spaces (Monday 26 August – Sunday 1 September). Events range from Beethoven and Star Wars in the Bullring and brass quintets in Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens, to dinosaur themed family shows in libraries, string quartets in pubs, a day of open rehearsals at the CBSO Centre, and live music from Kazuki Yamada on the West Midlands Metro.

As part of the orchestra’s mission to reach new audiences across the West Midlands and develop deeper and more meaningful connections with the city it calls home, CBSO in the Citywill present the huge breadth of the orchestra’s music-making, from the greatest orchestral masterpieces to fun-filled interactive concerts for all the family, as well as performances for those living with dementia alongside their carers, family and friends.

In addition to the 25+ events, the CBSO will also launch their ‘£1 tickets for Brummies’ offer on Sunday 1 September. For one afternoon, anyone with a Birmingham postcode will be able to buy a ticket for the CBSO’s 2024-25 Season for just £1. This offer will be available in person from the B:Music Box Office at Symphony Hall between 3pm and 6pm.

Kazuki Yamada, CBSO Music Director, says: ‘I am truly happy that "CBSO in the City" will be held. Our activities can be limited to the confines of the concert hall, and it has been my long-held dream to not just wait for audiences to come, but to jump out of the concert hall and share music with even more people. For me, this week will be a series of moments that make that dream come true. Nothing would make me happier than having as many people as possible experience the CBSO. The CBSO is coming to see you!’

Highlights of the CBSO in the City week include:

• Full orchestral performances at the Bullring and New Street Station: the full CBSO will pop-up in front of commuters and shoppers throughout August, performing orchestral favourites including the Star Wars theme tune, Jurassic Park, and an excerpt from Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony. Performances will take place at the Bullring (Monday 26 August, 1pm & 3pm, as part of Birmingham Weekender) and at Birmingham’s famous New Street Station (Friday 30 August, 4pm & 5:30pm). As part of the performances at New Street Station, audience members will once again have the chance to volunteer to conduct Birmingham’s iconic orchestra.
• Great music with a pint: the CBSO’s string quartet will present unplugged and stripped back evening performances in the intimate settings of The Jam House(Wednesday 28 August) and The Spotted Dog (Sunday 1 September).
• Brass in the gardens: audiences will be invited to enjoy the sounds of the CBSO’s chamber groups in the beautiful surroundings of Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens with performances from the Brass Quintet (Tuesday 27 August, 2pm) and Clarinet Trio (Saturday 31 August, 2pm).
• CBSO at Thinktank: Families can spend the morning exploring four floors of fun with more than 200 hands-on high-tech displays alongside historical collections and natural science specimens to amaze and inspire at Thinktank, before a performance from the CBSO’s Flute and Harp Duo (Tuesday 27 August, 2:30pm) or Brass Quintet (Wednesday 28 August, 2pm).
• Dinosaur Disco at Wednesbury Library and the Library of Birmingham: CBSO musicians invite young audiences to join them on an exciting Jurassic adventure created for families at Wednesbury Library (Thursday 29 August, 11am and 2pm) and the Library of Birmingham (Saturday 31 August, 11am and 1pm).
  
• Alice in Wonderland at Wednesbury Museum & Art Gallery: A 10-piece CBSO ensemble invite audience members to go down the rabbit hole, on an interactive musical journey through imaginary worlds, in a sensory concert experience specially designed for people with special educational needs (Thursday 29 August, 11am and 2pm).

Other events across the week include performances from both a string quartet and flute and harp duo at Birmingham Museum's Gas Hall and Yorks @ Ikon Gallery, a string quartet at Grosvenor Road Studiosas part of their Musical Garden event,a day of open rehearsals at the CBSO Centreincluding singers and small ensembles, Music Director Kazuki Yamada performing on the West Midlands Metro and the CBSO Chorus at Packington Estate.

Dates and full details of all events can be found here.

CBSO in the City has been made possible thanks to the generous support of John Osborn CBE and NBB Law.