I am delighted to announce that I have been able to schedule a full series of concerts at the Victoria Hall without any restrictions for our subscribers and musicians.

In the orchestral season another eight concerts have been programmed featuring the BBC Philharmonic and the Hallé. These will include an exciting programme of major symphonies and show stopping concertos.

Several internationally acclaimed conductors and soloists will be making their débuts including Norwegian Tabita Berglund. She is being hailed as one of Europe’s greatest promises and from Sri Lanka, Leslie Suganandarajah, Music Director of the Salzburg Landestheater. Two Classics’ favourites return when Ben Gernon and Stephen Bell take the baton.

Pianist Tom Poster makes his first appearance in the season. Juan Pérez Floristán returns together with Martin Roscoe who is celebrating his 70th year performing Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto. The Grieg and Schumann Piano Concertos are also included. Beethoven, Brahms and Mendelssohn Violin Concertos played by Alina Pogostkina, Tobias Feldmann and Julian Rachlin, together with Dvorak’s ever popular Cello Concerto are also featured in the series. Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and Saint-Saëns Organ Concerto are two works which will raise the Victoria Hall roof!

Four recitals in the Piano Masters Series have been scheduled at Stoke Repertory Theatre. The winner of the 2021 Leeds Piano Competition, Alim Beisembayev will be our ‘Rising Star’. Martin James Bartlett returns following numerous requests and will be joining Steven Osborne and Benjamin Grosvenor in another dynamic season.

My sincere thanks to all of you who have continued to support our events during what has been a very challenging year. However, we can all look forward to a new season full of excitement, hope and magnificent music and I hope that you will enjoy the programme that I have arranged.

Enjoy the summer and I look forward to welcoming you in the Autumn.

Mike Lloyd

Managing Director