Do you ever find yourself teaching a set work and thinking: if only they could hear this being performed live? It’s one thing watching a Youtube video or listening to a Spotify recording, but something else completely to take students to a concert hall (for many, it may well be the first time they have ever stepped foot in one) and give them the opportunity to experience live music. And to this end, some of the most well-known professional orchestras in the UK organise concerts specifically aimed at school students. They have put together programmes relating directly to set works or to provide an engaging orchestral experience for young people.
In this post, I’ve compiled the details of some brilliant UK school concert trips and events, by region, coming up in 2024-25. I hope there will be something here that you will be able to attend and enjoy with your students.
Every effort has been made to provide correct information but please do check individual orchestra web pages for dates, prices and programme details.
1. Hallé Orchestra (North West)
Set Works Concert: “Orchestra through the ages”
Date and time: Friday 18th October 2024 at 1:45pm
Location: Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
Price: £6.50 each
Click here for the Halle Orchestra website
“The Orchestra Through the Ages’ takes pupils on a guided tour of music from the Renaissance to the twenty first century. Featuring a number of orchestral pieces from the AQA, OCR, WJEC and Edexcel syllabi for GCSE and A-level music, the concert demonstrates the development of the symphony orchestra with a brief history and musical analysis of some key pieces.”
2. Royal Liverpool Philharmonic (North West)
Concert: “The World in One City – a Global Journey”
Date and time: 8 concerts from 10 – 14 March 2025 (10.30am and 1.30pm)
Location: Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Price: £5.25 per pupil plus free teacher ticket for every 10 pupils
Click here for Liverpool Philharmonic Website
“Different countries, different cultures – music is a gateway to it all. In this concert, the Orchestra will use music to help us discover the history and traditions of communities around the world – as well as those a little closer to home here in Liverpool! Exploring geography and identity, we will also learn about the important role music plays in shaping a sense of home and self for individuals around the globe.”
Please note that in 2025, all eight concerts will be aimed at children across Key Stages 2 and 3, linking to curriculum topics from both key stages. We recommend these concerts are most suitable for children in school years 3-7.
3. City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (West Midlands)
Concert: Details not yet released
Please check the CBSO website regularly to find details of their schools concerts.
Location: Symphony Hall, Birmingham
Cost: KS 1, 2 and 3 Schools’ Concerts are £5 per ticket, and 2 free tickets per school are available for groups of 20+
KS3 concerts are FREE for all Year 7 pupils of Birmingham State Schools thanks to the CBSO partnership with Services for Education.
4. London Symphony Orchestra (London)
Concert: Various KS1, 2 and 3 concerts. Click here for more details.
Date and time: Secondary concert: Tuesday 25 March 12 noon. Click here for KS1 and 2 concert dates.
Location: Barbican Concert Hall, London
5. London Philharmonic Orchestra (London)
Concert: “GCSE Bright Sparks Concert“
Date and time: Wednesday 20 November 2024
Cost: Sign up the mailing list for details of when tickets are released and cost.
Location: Royal Festival Hall. London
Website: https://www.lpo.org.uk/education/brightsparks-concerts.html
“Our BrightSparks concerts are inspiring live experiences for school audiences from Key Stage 1 all the way up to A Level. Each year we perform for around 10,000 students at our Southbank Centre home and at the Congress Theatre in Eastbourne, with the chosen music and engaging presentation designed especially for school audiences. Concerts include a presenter breaking down the music in a fun and engaging way, and a big screen behind the Orchestra picks out key elements from the music or story.
Often this is the first time students will have encountered the thrill of a live orchestra, and it’s sure to be an unforgettable experience!”
6. Royal Opera House (London)
Concerts: (Secondary): La bohème; Carmen and Romeo and Juliet
For KS1 and 2 school concerts click here
Dates and times:
- La bohème – 13 December 2024 12.30pm
- Romeo and Juliet – 21 March 2025 12.30pm
- Carmen – 11 June 11.30am
Cost: £7.50 by application. Travel grants available.
“Spark your students’ imaginations by joining other schools across the country at London’s iconic Royal Opera House, and experience incredible opera or ballet productions for only £7.50 with travel grants available.
With something for everyone, including Hansel and Gretel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Carmen, there are stories of adventure, love, loss, and excitement, performed by some of the world’s best artists from The Royal Ballet and Opera.”
7. English National Opera (London)
Programme: Opera Squad Programme and Finish This programme
Plus – Under 21s get FREE tickets to any opera
Venue: London Coliseum in St Martin’s Lane
“We work in close collaboration with schools each year through our Opera Squad programme, offering a year-long residency that enriches the school’s arts provision and responds to each school’s needs, helping to ensure that the arts are able to flourish and develop within the school. Activities include whole school takeovers, bespoke in school projects that nurture creativity and develop skills, as well as priority access to our productions, our youth programme and work experience opportunities.
We offer free digital programmes which provide CPD and lesson plans to deliver composition work in the classroom such as Finish This. Applications are now open to acess these resources in September! Find out more on our Finish This page.
Our Schools Membership offers teachers opportunities to bring students to the London Coliseum for free. It also gives access to exclusive talks, tours and CPD workshops in improving music skills in the classroom.”
8. Welsh National Opera (Wales & South East)
Concert: WNO Schools Concert
Dates and times:
- Tuesday 17 September – Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff 12-1.30pm
- Friday 11 October – Venue Cymru, Llandudno 12-1.30pm
- Friday 18 October – Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth 12-1.30pm
- Friday 15 November – Mayflower Theatre, Southampton 12-1.30pm
Cost: Free
Location: Cardiff, Llandudno, Southampton and Plymouth
Click here for the WNO website
“This free and inspiring Schools Concert offers a live orchestral experience for Key Stage 2 students. Alongside presenter Ruth Rosales and conductor Olivia Clarke, the music is bought to life by the world class WNO Orchestra, and a group of sensational soloists. Hear popular hits including the incredible Largo al Factotum from The Barber of Seville,Habanera from Carmen, the infamous Queen of the Night Aria from The Magic Flute, John Williams’ magical Hedwig Theme from the Harry Potter film series and more.There will be plenty of opportunity for everyone to interact with the music, from dancing and clapping to singing along – all while learning about dynamics, rhythm, speed and of course, the instruments that make up an Orchestra.”
9. Ulster Orchestra (Northern Ireland)
Event: Ulster Orchestra Schools Concert (KS2)
Date and time: 22 November 2024, 11am
Cost: £5; teachers go free
Location: Ulster Hall, Belfast
Click here for the Ulster Orchestra website
“The Ulster Orchestra returns to Millennium Forum as part of its popular Schools Concerts series, enjoyed by thousands of P4-P7 pupils in venues across Northern Ireland. Presented by Cath Arlidge, the primary schools concerts incorporate curriculum links in an exciting and inspiring concert for Key Stage 2 students.”
“This was the best trip ever!” Pupil, 2023 Schools Concert
“It was unexpectedly educational – a whole term’s worth of music lessons within an hour!” Teacher, 2022 Schools Concert
10. Royal Scottish National Orchestra (Scotland)
Concert: Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert Film screening with live orchestral performance.
Date and time: 20-21 September 2024
Location: Usher Hall, Edinburgh and Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
Price: discounts available for under 18s – contact the box office for details.
See full RSNO concert season for other concerts.
11. Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (South West)
Concerts:
- The Planets by Holst & Piano Concerto no.3 by Beethoven and In the Fen Country by Vaughan Williams
- The Firebird by Stravinsky & Piano Concerto no.1 and Pastoral Symphony by Beethoven
Click here for full BSO Concert Season
Date and Time: The Planets: Wednesday 2 October, 7.30pm; The Firebird: Wednesday 9th October, 7.30pm
Location: Lighthouse, Poole
Price: Contact the box office for concessions tickets
12. Opera North (West Yorkshire, North West, Tyneside, Midlands)
Concerts: The Magic Flute Lite (KS2-4) and Kirklees Concert Season
Date and time:
- The Magic Flute Lite – 20 February – 20 March 2025
- Kirklees Concert Season ongoing from 9 September 2024 – see website (discounts available for students)
Cost: see Opera North website for price details
Locations: Theatre Royal, Nottingham; The Lowry, Salford Quays, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Leeds Grand Theatre, Huddersfield Town Hall, Dewsbury Town Hall
