Hosted by Classic FM and sports presenter Karthi Gnanasegaram, who knows her way around a football pitch as well as a stadium anthem!

From terrace chants such as ‘Blue Moon’ and ‘Glory Glory Man United’ belted at full volume, to iconic anthems echoing across stadiums, the voices of centuries of die-hard fans have formed the soundtracks for football clubs across the nation.

This concert, performed on pitch at the National Football Museum, celebrates the drama and passion of the nation’s most beloved sport.

Not only does the music of football set the atmosphere alight in stadiums everywhere, but it also proudly embodies the culture and identity of the cities and communities that shape our nation.

The earliest recorded football chant is believed to have been written by composer Sir Edward Elgar in 1898: “He Banged the Leather for Goal”, in tribute to Wolverhampton Wanderers striker, Billy Malpass.

One of the pieces we will feature is James MacMillan’s Eleven. It begins with the sound of a referee’s whistle before two eleven-note themes are thrown around between wind and strings, as if they are two opposing teams.

In this concert, you’ll enjoy familiar football anthems, a mix of local and international chants, and music inspired by the world’s favourite sport.

Manchester is a city united by football. This concert is a celebration of the music that sets the rhythm and heartbeat to our love for the beautiful game.

(If you have ever won the Premier League or WSL, you can come free of charge.. just get in touch 😉)

There are 2 shows of this concert 6:30 and 8pm. The concert will run approximately 55 mins, and it will be standing. Please email info@manchestercamerata.co.uk if you would like to discuss accessibility requirements.

Programme

• Barry Stoller, arr. Ali Vennart – Theme from the Match of the Day
• Gabriel Fauré – Pavane
• Joseph Haydn – Symphony No.88, Movement 4
• Neil Diamond, arr. Ali Vennart – Sweet Caroline 
• Dmitri Shostakovich, arr. Rudolph Barshai – Chamber Symphony in C minor, Movement 3
• Edward Elgar – ‘Enigma’ Variations, Movement X: ‘Dorabella’ 
• James Macmillan – Eleven 
• K’naan, arr. Ali Vennart – Wavin’ Flag

Performed by

• Conductor Enyi Okpara
• Special Guest Presenter Karthi Gnanasegaram
• Manchester Camerata

We begin with ‘Lanolin’ by Anna Meredith, a composer known for her bold, imaginative approach to sound. This piece gently draws you in with its rich textures and shifting tones – a quiet invitation to listen differently.

Beethoven’s String Trio in D is a work full of energy, known for its technical challenges and invention. It’s a piece that showcases Beethoven’s early brilliance and his instinct to challenge musical norms.

Meredith’s ‘Scrying’ brings a change of pace – rhythmic, playful, and full of surprises. Merging elements of contemporary classical with electronica and experimental rock, it’s a vivid example of her innovative style.

The evening ends with Beethoven’s Septet, a charming and elegant work that was an instant hit in its time. Over two centuries later, it still feels as fresh and alive as it did back then!

Programme

• Anna Meredith Tripotage Miniature I. ‘Lanolin’
• Beethoven String Trio in D, No 2   
• Anna Meredith Tripotage Miniature V. ‘Scrying’ 
• Beethoven Septet 

Performed By

• Manchester Camerata

We begin with ‘Lanolin’ by Anna Meredith, a composer known for her bold, imaginative approach to sound. This piece gently draws you in with its rich textures and shifting tones – a quiet invitation to listen differently.

Beethoven’s String Trio in D is a work full of energy, known for its technical challenges and invention. It’s a piece that showcases Beethoven’s early brilliance and his instinct to challenge musical norms.

Meredith’s ‘Scrying’ brings a change of pace – rhythmic, playful, and full of surprises. Merging elements of contemporary classical with electronica and experimental rock, it’s a vivid example of her innovative style.

The evening ends with Beethoven’s Septet, a charming and elegant work that was an instant hit in its time. Over two centuries later, it still feels as fresh and alive as it did back then!

More venues to be announced.

Book tickets >

Programme

• Anna Meredith Tripotage Miniature I. ‘Lanolin’
• Beethoven String Trio in D, No 2   
• Anna Meredith Tripotage Miniature V. ‘Scrying’ 
• Beethoven Septet 

Performed by

• Manchester Camerata

We begin with ‘Lanolin’ by Anna Meredith, a composer known for her bold, imaginative approach to sound. This piece gently draws you in with its rich textures and shifting tones – a quiet invitation to listen differently.

Beethoven’s String Trio in D is a work full of energy, known for its technical challenges and invention. It’s a piece that showcases Beethoven’s early brilliance and his instinct to challenge musical norms.

Meredith’s ‘Scrying’ brings a change of pace – rhythmic, playful, and full of surprises. Merging elements of contemporary classical with electronica and experimental rock, it’s a vivid example of her innovative style.

The evening ends with Beethoven’s Septet, a charming and elegant work that was an instant hit in its time. Over two centuries later, it still feels as fresh and alive as it did back then!

More venues to be announced.

Book tickets >

Programme

• Anna Meredith Tripotage Miniature I. ‘Lanolin’
• Beethoven String Trio in D, No 2   
• Anna Meredith Tripotage Miniature V. ‘Scrying’ 
• Beethoven Septet 

Performed by

• Manchester Camerata

Broken sounds and broken instruments, an uncompromising portrayal of the mind.

This semi-staged concert is based on our preconceptions of mental illness, with each piece having a connection to the psychology of the mind – centred around Peter Maxwell Davies‘ harrowing depiction of the ‘madness’ of King George III.

Maxwell Davies was a key member of the Manchester School of Composers, who reshaped the landscape of British music in the late 20th century. 8 Songs for a Mad King is a melodrama with a libretto based on the real-life observations of King George III, presenting an extravagant and disturbing portrayal of his condition. 

Vocalising weirdly as he bemoans his fate, trying to teach his instrumentalist-birds to sing – our musicians becoming projections from within his own mind.

Fun fact: King George III is actually the same monarch who is featured in the hit musical, ‘Hamilton’ – portraying him in a completely different light.

In our interpretation of this shocking masterwork, the protagonist role of King George III will be brought to life by the Mezzo-Soprano Idunnu Münch. Through her performance, she gives voice to the narratives surrounding mental illness, particularly those shaped by the female experience.

By Gis and by Saint Charity is a short and effective setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, drawing us into Ophelia’s claustrophobic inner world.

Composer and Pianist Schumann was to spend his final years in an asylum; he was 46 at the time of his death. In hindsight, it is hard for us to resist hearing a foreshadowing of doom in the uncanny march of the concluding section of Kreisleriana.

Brace yourself for this theatre classic, where the music screams, whispers, and unravels at the brink of madness.

Stoller Hall, Manchester | 5th June >

King's Place, London | 6th June >

Programme

• Errollyn Wallen By Gis and By Saint Charity
• Judith Weir Blue Green Hill
• Schumann Kreisleriana
• Peter Maxwell Davies 8 Songs for a Mad King

Performed by

• Conductor John Andrews
• Mezzo Soprano Idunnu Münch

Join us, and the rest of the Haçienda Classical team, for a party jam-packed full of house classics in a way you’ve never heard before.

Don’t miss the party of the summer at Castlefield Bowl!

Programme

• House classics from the Haçienda