The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) announces it will return to Northampton to perform four concerts as part of its 80thanniversary concert season, starting in September. These concerts at Royal & Derngate in Northampton represent an integral part of an RPO season that will see the Orchestra deliver 57 concerts across 12 UK venues – maximising support for music venues at a challenging time and giving local communities access to a world-class orchestra on their doorstep. Beyond these concerts, the RPO will also be appearing at festivals, undertaking international tours and continuing its ground-breaking community, health and education work in communities across the UK.

 

The RPO’s concerts for the Royal & Derngate in Northampton as part of its 2026–27 season:

 

Elgar Cello Concerto

Sun 18 October 2026, 3pm 

Elgar’s iconic Cello Concerto featuring soloist Zlatomir Fung – plus Brahms Symphony No.1 and Debussy’s Prelude à l’après-midi d’un faune.

Timeless Love Songs

Sunday 21 February 2027

A matinee romantic programme of popular love songs for the weekend, including: ‘So in Love’, ‘Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye’, ‘My Funny Valentine’, ‘The Way You Look Tonight’, ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’, ‘It Had to Be You’, ‘The Lady is a Tramp’ and many more. This concert will feature vocalists Sumudu Jayatilaka and Iain Mackenzie. 

Relaxed Performance

Sunday 4 April 2027

A playful afternoon concert designed to introduce new audiences to orchestral music – featuring 25 musicians performing a range of music in ways you’ve never imagined. This event is specially designed for people who may find traditional concerts challenging to attend.

Discover more at rpo.co.uk/relaxed

Film Music Live

Sunday 6 June 2027

A spectacular concert of favourite movie themes from sci-fi and fantasy films, such as Star Wars, Avatar, Harry Potter, Back to the Future, E.T., The Lord of the Rings, 2001: A Space Odyssey and more.

 

These RPO concerts recognise and celebrate the changing face of the modern concert audience. Insights from the RPO’s annual audience trends report reveal how the orchestral audience in the East Midlands is evolving. Overall, there is a strong sense of local connection to classical music, with 79% of people in the area saying they have a relationship with the genre. One in four (25%) are in the early stages of their journey of discovery, which is more than the percentage of people that have liked classical music for many years (24%). A further 27% say they like it among other genres. When it comes to specific repertoire, 36% enjoy core works by the great composers such as Mozart and Beethoven. Meanwhile, 28% were drawn to the work of contemporary composers (e.g., Reich, Glass, Adams, Debbie Wiseman etc), the highest in the UK and well above many other areas of the country. 

People in the East Midlands also embrace modern and diverse influences, with 34% of people enjoying pop, dance and rock music performed by an orchestra. Additionally, 22% of people say they like orchestral music that relates to film, musical theatre and/or video games.

Sarah Bardwell, Managing Director at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra comments: “Royal & Derngate in Northampton is one of our principal residences outside London and we are excited to return to Northampton for four concerts as part of our landmark 80th anniversary season. For the last 80 years, we have always pushed the creative boundaries on what an orchestra can do, and our new season is a ‘thank you’ to all those that have kept music alive over the last 80 years by attending our concerts, whilst also being a celebration of what orchestral music is today. From the classic to the modern, the serious to the fun – our new season is all about giving concert-goers a great night out: And in today’s troubled world, that’s probably more important than ever.”

 

Jo Gordon, CEO, Royal & Derngate, Northampton comments: “We note from the RPO data that the people of the East Midlands place great value on the societal role of music and the arts. Theatres and music venues across the UK are still dealing with the economic consequences of the cost-of-living crisis but we are moving forward positively, and this requires excellent programming that gives people a reason to attend and support live music venues. Having the RPO as one of our strategic partners makes a real difference to our work. It is so important to see the RPO supporting venues outside London at a time when we need to stand together and contribute positively to their future.”

 

The RPO would also like to thank the many guest musicians, soloists and ensembles that will join it for the 2026–27 season. For full details, visit the RPO website.

 

Full details of the RPO season for 2026–27, visit Tickets & events – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. https://www.rpo.co.uk