Close Up
Charles Hazlewood takes standard repertoire (such as Dvorák 9) and deconstructs it in the first half of the concert, bringing in related music from other traditions, and giving a complete performance of the work in the second half. For the vast community of people who have an active, daily engagement with music of many kinds, who would love to hear more orchestral music, but don’t know where to start.

Play! / Strange Powers from Another Planet
Taking the most iconic and rampantly popular symphonic video game scores (PLAY!), (or in STRANGE POWERS, sci fi hits) and exploring where these worlds came from. This is a pitch-perfect way to build a new audience for the orchestra. They come on the promise of hearing their favourite video game / sci fi scores played live - which they do, with bells on - and are also taken on an intense odyssey into the heart of great symphonic music. It is not a lecture, more a roller coaster ride. For many of the audience this will be their first experience of a live symphony orchestra, blazing and visceral; it is an experience they will not forget. The ratio of video game / sci fi music to symphonic music is roughly 60:40.

The Anatomy of the Orchestra
This is a thrilling project where the orchestra becomes an installation. The musicians are placed in a big open space (large warehouse, art gallery, sports hall etc), and spread out over a 30-40 metre area. Each musician is raised on a small podium; the audience walk amongst the orchestra as they play, creating their own sonic mix. They can move towards the trombones, stand behind the oboes, wander between the double basses, wherever they like! An incredible opportunity for them to climb inside the orchestra. All the musicians have in-ear monitoring, so it is possible for them to play totally together whilst being spread far apart.

The Unthanks
As premiered at Glastonbury Festival in June 2015, Hazlewood works with the Mercury Prize-nominated folk singers The Unthanks to develop a new hybrid of their extraordinary, pure bardic song/storytelling in poetic partnership with chamber orchestra. Hazlewood and the band took this project on a UK tour, including Royal Festival Hall, in December 2017.

From Ligeti and Messiaen to Squarepusher
An extraordinary collaboration for orchestra with electronic artist Squarepusher. Squarepusher’s sources of inspiration (Ligeti, Messiaen) in the first half, then an arrangement for orchestra and electronics of “Ufabulum”, a multi-movement electronic work.