Boris Giltburg begins the new year making his much anticipated return to the Royal Festival Hall to perform Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Nicola Luisotti. He performs the same work in his return to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic with Mikhail Agrest, and makes his debut with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland performing Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2 in Dublin.

Marin Alsop conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra with soloist Jonathan Biss at the Royal Festival Hall, before taking them on tour in Spain with performances in Barcelona, Castellon, Pamplona and Zaragoza. January also sees Alsop conducting the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic for the first time with a Barber / Dvorak programme.

"...all ears were on James Ehnes. Is there a creamier, more ravishing violin timbre in the world today than that from Ehnes's Strad? Add immaculate tuning, serene lyricism and an understated but unfaltering musicality, and its clear why the young Canadian is fast becoming the connoisseur's fiddler-of-choice" (Richard Morrison, The Times).

Following outstanding reviews from his performance with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in November, James Ehnes returns to the UK this month to perform with the Philharmonia Orchestra. Ehnes will play the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto conducted by Tugan Sokhiev at the Royal Festival Hall. Following this he will appear with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra performing the Brahms Violin Concerto conducted by Guenter Herbig.

Thierry Fischer launches the opening of Hoddinott Hall, BBC National Orchestra of Wales' new concert hall at the Wales Millennium Centre, with two gala concerts featuring works by the composer of whom the hall is named after. He also renews his acquaintance with the Utah Symphony performing Stravinsky's Petrushka, which he records with BBC NOW next month.

Over the new year, Intermusica was in Beijing with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and Chief Guest Conductor Vassily Sinaisky for the city's New Year Gala concerts. The orchestra and Sinaisky will perform at the Great Hall of the People, situated on the edge of Tian'anmen Square, marking the Orchestra and Vassily Sinaisky’s debut performance in China. The varied orchestral programme includes music by Tchaikovsky and Dvořák as well as traditional Chinese works.

Leonidas Kavakos returns to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra as soloist with Alan Gilbert in January, playing the Brahms Concerto. He then travels to the US for concerts with the Houston Symphony and Hans Graf with the Tchaikovsky Concerto, and joins the Philadelphia Orchestra and Christoph Eschenbach for concerts in Philadelphia prior to their European tour in February and on which Kavakos will play Bartók Concerto No.2 and the Sibelius Concerto.

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra welcomes Claire Rutter back to Glasgow for three Viennese concerts under their assistant conductor, the talented young Austrian David Danzmayr. The concerts will take place on January 3, 8 and 10.

Claire also returns to the Opéra National de Bordeaux following her success last season as Countess Le nozze di Figaro, to sing the title role in Puccini’s Tosca. Music Director Kwamé Ryan will conduct.

Mikhail Agrest has a busy start to 2009. He recently conducted Verdi's Requiem with the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Chorus and Soloists at the new Mariinsky Concert Hall; is conducting the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra over Christmas; and will be appearing with the Fondazione Toscanini in a series of concerts over the New Year featuring a programme of Strauss, Kabalevsky and Tchaikovsy. Later in the month, he will conduct a programme of Gubaidulina with the Orquesta y Coro Nacional de Espana, invited specifically by the composer. He will visit the United Kingdom twice, to conduct the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, performing a programme including the Sibelius violin concerto, with soloist Tasmin Little, and then to appear with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra at the end of the month.

Andrew Kennedy begins 2009 with a busy orchestral schedule which sees him debut with the Orchestre de Picardie under Damian Iorio singing Britten’s Les Illuminations on January 9, 10 and 11. Andrew then travels to Boston to make his debut with the Handel & Haydn Society singing Orfeo in Haydn's l'Anima del Filosofo under Sir Roger Norrington. Christopher Maltman and Sarah Coburn compete the casting for these concerts on January 23 and 25.

January 2009 sees a return to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden for Susan Bickley who will sing Mrs Peachum in John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera. Christian Curnyn conducts this production which opens on 20 January and also stars Tom Randle and Donald Maxwell.

Michal Dworzynski renews his acquaintance with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducting Rossini, Rodrigo and Tchaikovsky.

Jonathan Biss will be performing several concerts with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in January, under the baton of fellow Intermusica artist Marin Alsop. They will be performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.22 at the Royal Festival Hall in London and, later in the month, they will take Brahms Piano Concerto No.1 on a tour of Spain, with concerts in Pamplona, Zaragoza, Barcelona and Castellon. He will also play the Brahms concerto with the Northern Sinfonia, conducted by Thomas Zehetmair.

Heinrich Schiff returns to the Orchestre de Paris in January to conduct a programme of Haydn Sinfonia Concertante Op.84, Lutoslawski Cello Concerto with soloist Christian Poltéra, and Schubert Symphony No.8. As soloist and conductor, he will appear with the Residenie Orkest in a programme of Mendelssohn 'Hebrides' Overture, Haydn Cello Concerto in C major and Beethoven Symphony No.3.

As soloist, he will also play Elgar's Cello Concerto with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Tomas Netopil.

Ailish Tynan joins the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and conductor Gunther Bauer-Schenk for a series of Viennese concerts. She will be performing eight concerts at the beginning of January including at the Anvil, Basingstoke, the Guildhall, Portsmouth, Poole Arts Centre and University Great Hall, Exeter.

Stanislaw Skrowaczewski is resident in Europe this month, conducting the Orchestre National de Lyon in a programme of Bruckner, Bach and Mozart; appearing with the Bergen Philharmonic, with Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.9 and Bruckner’s 7th symphony; and then conducting Bruckner’s 6th symphony with the Bruckner Orchestra in Linz.

This month Andrew Manze conducts two concerts with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in Edinburgh and Glasgow respectively. The programme includes Mendelssohn's Overture Fair Melusina and Schubert's Symphony No.4. Paul Lewis will play Mozart's Piano Concerto No.27 K595.

David Alden’s new production of Cavalli’s little known masterpiece, Ercole L’amante opens at De Nederlandse Opera on 11 January starring Luca Pisaroni in the title role. Ivor Bolton will conduct the production.

Paul McCreesh will be conducting the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra this month, performing works by Mozart, Beethoven and Dvorak with soprano Carolyn Sampson. He will also conduct the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestrain Haydn’s The Seasons at the Concertgebouw, with soloists including Mark Padmore and Andrew Foster-Williams.

Mario Venzago returns to the Tapiola Sinfonietta this month with a programme of Mendelssohn 'Hebrides' Overture, Penderecki Horn Concerto, and Schumann Symphony No.4.

He also conducts concerts with his own orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphony, firstly in a programme of Wagner and Rouse with Dame Evelyn Glennie, and subsequently in a programme of Britten and Ravel.

Jun Märkl takes the MDR Sinfonieorchester Leipzig to Spain this month, performing at Madrid's Auditorio Nacional de Musica.

In a characteristically busy Christmas period, the Choir of King’s College Cambridge travelled to Santa Cecilia, Rome and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw in December, returning home to perform their annual carol concert at the Royal Albert Hall (accompanied by the Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus) and to give a seasonal concert at the newly renovated Town Hall in Birmingham.

On Christmas Eve 2008 King's College Choir gave the 90th Nine Lessons and Carols service in the Chapel of King's College, Cambridge. This tradition began in December 1918 as an antithesis to World War I and has been broadcast annually by the BBC since 1928, this year's service being the 80th BBC broadcast. King's College are very proud to be continuing their relationship with the BBC and the Nine Lessons and Carols service has become an integral part of Christmas to millions of listeners around the world.

Click on the following link to hear See Amid the Winter's Snow, taken from their new Chirstmas release 'Christmas at King's' on EMI Classics:

Renata Pokupic makes her debut with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Kent Nagano on 16 January (and 18 January) when she sings Bach’s B Minor Mass alongside Detlef Roth and Christoph Genz.

Ben Johnson makes his first appearance at the Wigmore Hall since winning the Kathleen Ferrier First Prize on January 31 with Graham Johnson. This concert will be an all Schubert programme to celebrate the composer’s birthday.

Sergio Tiempo will be returning to Lisbon this month, giving a recital in the Palace de Queluz in Lisbon on the 17th January. Tiempo will also be returning to Salzburg in January, invited on this occasion by the Mozartwoche for a chamber music programme with Renaud and Gautier Capucon, Martin Fröst and Antoine Tamestit. Together, they will be performing works by Mozart and Haydn, including Haydn’s Piano Trio in G, the Gypsy Rondo, and Mozart’s Piano Trio in B flat.

This month Eugene Ugorski will make his debut with the Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra. He will perform Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto and the performance will be conducted by Jac van Steen.

Jean-Christophe Spinosi and Ensemble Matheus triumphed in Munich in November, performing Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte at the Philharmonie im Gasteig. The concert – a debut in the city for the Ensemble and their Corsican Music Director – came at the end of a two-week run of the staged version at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris. The Orchestra was joined by an exciting line-up of soloists: Jael Azzaretti, Rinat Shaham, Paolo Fanale, Luca Pisaroni, Pietro Spagnoli and Alexandra Coku as well as members of the Chorus from the Champs Elysées production.

"...the performance of ‘Cosi fan tutte’ was nothing less than a dream..." (Suddeutsche Zeitung)

"Spinosi’s Cosi showed us Mozart’s emotional roller-coaster with rebelliousness, sensitivity, and with all its corners and rough edges..." (Munich Abendzeitung)

On 27 January Simona Mihai will sing Juliette in Korngold’s Die tote Stadt at the Royal Opera House. The production by Willy Decker will be conducted by Ingo Metzmacher and stars Gerald Finley and Stephen Gould.

Martyn Brabbins conducts the Residentie Orkest at The Hague and performs Haydn, Mendelssohn and Brahms with the Brussels Philharmonic at the Palais des Beaux-Arts Brussels.

The Canadian Opera Company welcome back Gidon Saks on 24 January to sing one of his signature roles Don Pizzaro in Andreas Baesler’s production of Fidelio. Adrianne Pieczonka and Jon Villars star alongside singing Lenore and Florestan respectively.

Sarah-Jane Davies will sing Pamina in Nicholas Hytner’s critically acclaimed production of The Magic Flute at English National Opera. The premiere is on 24 January and Robert Murray will sing Tamino.

Gilbert Varga will be on a tour to the Americas this month, giving performances with the symphony orchestras of Milwaukee, Dallas and Mexico City. Programmes include works by Ravel, Martucci and Bartók, Tchaikovsky’s 5th symphony and concertos by Mozart, Liszt and Paganini.

Roger Vignoles will appear in Frankfurt (6 January), Madrid (26 January) and at the Wigmore Hall (24 January) with Christine Rice and Kate Royal in recital. The programme will include works by Brahms, Purcell, Mendelssohn and Gounod.

Cristian Orosanu will be conducting a series concerts with the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra in January, with programmes featuring works by Johann Strauss, Dvorak and Smetana.