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A celebration of the life and work of Vaughan Williams

RVW's anniversary adds flavour to this year's Bromsgrove Festival. Christopher Morley explains. Read

Review: CBSO Sakari Oramo at Symphony Hall

With his fifth symphony Mahler became a control freak - peppering the score with detailed instructions. For the conductor it must be like having the composer constantly peering over his shoulder. Read

Review: ETO's Anna Bolena at Grand, Wolverhampton

James Conway's new English Touring Opera production of Donizetti's Anna Bolena comes with high expectations. Conway's 2005 production of Donizetti's Maria Stuarda attracted widespread acclaim; more recently, his Eugene Onegin probed deeper than almost any big-name production in recent years. Read

Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra at Birmingham Town Hall

No one could ever accuse the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra of a lack of confidence. But for a non-professional orchestra to tackle Mahler's Resurrection Symphony, enormously demanding both in resources and stamina, might tempt one to suggest that confidence had become hubris. Read

Review: BCMG at Ikon Gallery

Jürgen Partenheimer's paintings, drawings and a few ceramic sculptures are shown in the three linking gallery rooms; Kevin Volans' music is played by three separate ensembles, one in each room. Read

Review: Handel's Flavio at Birmingham Town Hall

Some of Handel's operas carry the burden of ludicrous plots, and, for modern listeners at least, the disconcerting problem of similar voices singing different genders. Read

Resurrection of town hall sees its largest concert yet

Conductor Michael Lloyd talks to Christopher Morley about mixing Mahler and musicals, while the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra's newlyappointed patron Peter Donohoe speaks up for local culture. Read

Review: BCMG,Knussen at CBSO Centre

He might not have been listed in the programme, but Stravinsky was a palpable presence in Monday's well-constructed concert from Birmingham Contemporary Music Group under the elegant, meticulous conducting of Oliver Knussen. Read

Review: National Children's Orchestra at The Town Hall

Truly mature sound heralded this concert, with strings full of warmth and dark rich sonority. Read

Review: Birmingham Festival Choral Society at the Town Hall

The return of Elijah and Birmingham Festival Choral Society to the Town Hall had been heralded as an event of symbolic importance and musical significance. Read

Review: CBSO/Robert Spano at Symphony Hall

Rimsky Korsakov's Scheherezade is a work that almost invites performances of crudity and brashness. This was an invitation tossed aside by the CBSO and American conductor Robert Spano. Read

Review: National Youth Choirs of Great Britain at Symphony Hall

A palpable buzz of anticipation greeted everyone arriving for this 25th Anniversary Gala concert. Symphony Hall was packed with families eager to hear and support their young nightingales. Read

Golijov and his latest challenge to 'primitive' critics

According to one recent interview, the Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov has a problem with British music critics. Read

Review: Ex Cathedra, at Symphony Hall

It was a significant weekend for Ex Cathedra, beginning with a heartening showcase of the education work the choir carries out so brilliantly. Read

National Youth Wind Orchestra, CBSO Centre

If life begins at 40, then this fine young wind orchestra has much to anticipate, having already been in existence since 1968. Fierce competition throughout the UK stimulates high standards and each year welcomes new blood. Read

The Birmingham Town Hall music man

Profile of Thomas Trotter, who is official organist for the city of Birmingham, as well as Westminster Abbey Read

Mendelssohn's coming home

Christopher Morley looks forward to a historic night at Birmingham Town Hall. Read

Review: CBSO, Symphony Hall

Pity the poor conductor who has to negotiate the famous four-note opening theme of Beethoven's fifth symphony. Read

Review: CBSO, at Symphony Hall, Birmingham

This is music as cosmic as the opening movement of Beethoven Nine, but under conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin it emerged merely as an uninvolving, spectacularly swift delivery of Mozart's perfectly-placed notes Read

Review: London Sinfonietta, at The Artrix, Bromsgrove

London Sinfonietta's shrewdlyconstructed programme for Bromsgrove Concerts on Friday revealed a wonderful panorama of music from the last 100 years. Read