Pekka Kuusisto plays Sibelius

Life, death, and everything in between. Sibelius’s Violin Concerto moves between icy stillness and bursts of energy, while Michael Tippett’s symphony grows from small musical ideas into a powerful orchestral work that feels constantly moving and alive. Edward Gardner opens with Sir George Benjamin’s tribute to an old friend, before being joined by violinist Pekka Kuusisto for Sibelius’s Concerto. ‘I grew up with the idea that playing the violin was about being spontaneous’, says Kuusisto: no wonder things catch fire when he’s around.

*Edward Gardner’s position with the LPO is generously supported by Aud Jebsen.