Press Story
Today we announce our 2025-26 Season, a programme of more than 100 concerts that bring together incredible classical performances, diverse collaborations, and community events deeply connected to Birmingham’s vibrant cultural identity.
New research from our regional ‘Listening Project’ – a West-Midlands focused research initiative - reveals that live music in Birmingham is seen to be an integral aspect of life in and around the city; with 60% of Birmingham residents considering attending arts and cultural events to be a vital aspect of their free time.
CBSO at a glance: 2025-26 season highlights
- Kazuki enters his second year as Music Director, leading more than 10 concerts in Birmingham, including performances of monumental works such as Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade and Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
- Black Lives in Music brings a taste of their celebrated classical music festival to Birmingham with the return of award-winning singer-songwriter Laura Mvula to her hometown.
- CBSO in the City returns with a week of free performances right across Birmingham.
- Choral and opera showstoppers include Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, Puccini’s Tosca (featuring Natalya Romaniw, Gwyn Hughes Jones and Sir Bryn Terfel) and Adams’ Harmonium.
- Star Wars Original Trilogy Weekender, Best of Bond and Symphonic Queen all feature, alongside core symphonic repertoire including; Bartók, Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, Strauss and Nielsen.
- The season welcomes incredible guests, debuts and guest conductors including Carlo Rizzi, Davóne Tines, Gemma New, Ilan Volkov, Isata Kanneh-Mason, Janai Brugger, Lisa Batiashvili, Nil Venditti, Seong-Jin Cho and Sir Stephen Hough.
- A full Mahler Symphony Cycle begins over the next few years, with Kazuki conducting Symphony No.1 during the 2025-26 season.
- The CBSO & The Orchestral Qawwali Project, a glorious blend of Sufi poetry, Indian Classical dance and symphony orchestra returns to Birmingham. Rushil Ranjan also leads an evening that celebrates the musical and spiritual connections between western and eastern classical music.
- There are concerts for the whole family, with 36 concerts specifically designed for young people as part of the new season, including 4 family concerts featuring music from movies and books, as well as a festive Christmas concert.
- Satnam Rana presents Bringing the Light, an evening dedicated to celebrating light and winter festivals, including new commissions from contemporary voices including Cassie Kinoshi, Joan Armatrading and Roxanna Panufnik.
- Building on our passionate education ethos, talented young musicians from across the UK (CBSO Youth Orchestra) will join Joshua Weilerstein alongside CBSO musicians for an evening of Shostakovich.
- At home in Birmingham, but sharing great music across the UK and around the world. In March 2026, Kazuki Yamada will lead the orchestra on tour, performing 13 concerts right across Europe.
