The Estonian National Symphony Orchestra will perform the third event in the 2023/24 International Orchestra Series at Fairfield Halls this month, with world-renowned pianist Barry Douglas headlining with Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 on Thursday 25 May.

Performing as part of their UK tour, the ensemble will welcome the young students of London’s first and only Yamaha Music School from 4 pm for an exclusive pre-concert talk and workshop.

The young people will meet the ensemble, experience the feeling of standing on stage, and be invited to attend the evening event for free. Students’ families will also be welcome, with 50% off tickets and exclusive discounts with the venue’s food vendors.

Fairfield Halls Associate Venue Director Jonathan Higgins, said:

“We’re thrilled to be inviting aspiring young musicians as guests of honour to this performance, and to share this world-class concert venue with them.

We’re encouraging young people because they’re the future of classical music. We hope this experience will inspire them to continue their journey.”

The Yamaha Music school – that recently expanded its provision at Fairfield Halls due to high demand – hosts music lessons (keyboards, singing, drums and flute) for over 150 children from the age of 2 years old. Adults can also join the school to begin, or perhaps reignite, their musical journey, and can join Croydon Voices, the community choir that rehearses weekly at the South London venue.

Fairfield Halls is an iconic South London venue and established destination for classical music (the London Mozart Players have been its Resident Orchestra since 1998), and its acoustics are considered among the best in the UK. With this International Concert series, the venue is honouring its long and prestigious history of staging work by some of the world’s most notable classical artists and symphony orchestras.

More generally – hoping to inspire the next generation of classical music lovers – the venue is also making tickets for under 18s free (when accompanied by an adult), and helping people spread the cost of seeing world-class music with a multi-buy discount of up to 15% off across the international concert series.

Fairfield Halls will also be the first London stop on the UK tour of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine on Wednesday 18 October, part of Croydon’s programme as London Borough of Culture 2023. Previous concerts in the series included The Armenian State Symphony Orchestra and the Swedish Philharmonia.

On Thursday 25 May, the ensemble, directed by Olari Elts, will open with Cantus in Memoriam, a work of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, in honour of British Composer Benjamin Britten.

The programme will also feature Sibelius Symphony No. 5 and continue to celebrate the music of the British Isles with Song of Enchanter by Thea Musgrave.

Soloist Barry Douglas, who in 2021 was awarded a CBE for services to music and community relations, is acclaimed for his emotive and seemingly effortless performances of Rachmaninov’s challenging works, and maintains a busy international touring schedule.

Tickets are now on sale. More information and booking links available at fairfield.co.uk