Anna Clyne in residence, collaborations with Jess Gillam, Alice Sarah Ott & Rushil Ranjan, Britten's War Requiem at Coventry Cathedral: the CBSO 2026/27 season

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Kazuki Yamada (Photo: Andrew Fox)

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO), music director Kazuki Yamada has announce their 2026/2027 season. One highlight must be Remembrance Day, when Kazuki Yamada conducts Britten's War Requiem at Coventry Cathedral where the work premiered in 1952. The soloists are tenor Andrew Staples, soprano Irina Lungu and baritone Christian Gerhaher with the CBSO Chorus, CBSO Youth Chorus and Trinity Boys Choir in a performance that also marks 50 years since Britten's death.

Yamada and the CBSO their Mahler cycle and the season opens with Mahler's Symphony No. 2 with soprano Eleanor Lyons and contralto Jess Dandy in a concert which also celebrates the 1000th performance of the CBSO Chorus. The season will close in June 2027 with Mahler’s Symphony No. 3. Marking another anniversary, Yamada conducts the CBSO in all of Beethoven's symphonies during 2027, alongside the Violin Concerto and a wide ranging selection of chamber music and to set things of the CBSO's leader Eugene Tzikindelean directs the Violin Concerto from the violin in November 2026.

Three artists are collaborating with the CBSO during the season. Pianist Alice Sarah Ott's appearances include the Grieg and the Ravel concertos; saxophonist Jess Gillam joins Sheku Kanneh-Mason (cello) and Ben Goldscheider (horn) for Gwilym Simcock's Triple Concerto and her other appearances include Anna Clyne's Glasslands as well as at Christmas events; composer/arranger/pianist Rushil Ranjan directs The Orchestral Qawwali Project, blending Sufi poetry, Indian classical dance and orchestra.

The CBSO's first composer in residence, Anna Clyne premieres her new Viola Concerto for soloist Laurence Power as well as Jess Gillam's performance of Glasslands which will be recorded. And Clyne's PALETTE will be performed by the CBSO Orchestral Residency Scheme, a scheme which offers exceptional young musicians aged 21 to 25 the opportunity to rehearse and perform alongside the CBSO. As well as Clyne's PALETTE, Yamada will be conducting the young musicians in Strauss' Alpine Symphony.

Ilan Volkov makes his debut as the CBSO's Principal Guest Conductor with programmes including Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 1 (with Ilya Gringolts) and Bruckner's 7th Symphony, Messiaen's Turangalila and a Shakespeare inspired programme of Thomas Ades, Richard Strauss and Mendelssohn.

On a lighter note, Yamada's concerts include pairing Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker with Duke Ellington's reworking, as well as A Night at the Opera! Family friendly concerts include celebrations of Quincy Jones, as well as ABBA and the film Home Alone, not to mention Star Wars: A New Hope, Casino Royale, and The Lord of the Rings.

Created especially for under‑6s, Notelets are joyful, interactive performances where children can sing, dance and discover orchestral instruments for the very first time, supported by free creative activities and opportunities to meet the musicians. Across the season, BSL‑interpreted family concerts further widen access, ensuring orchestral music is welcoming and inclusive for audiences of all ages.

Full details from the CBSO website.