BMW LSO Open Air Classics 2016 with Valery Gergiev and Tchaikovsky programme. The London Symphony Orchestra in cooperation with BMW performs its fifth annual free concert in Trafalgar Square.

London. The London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Valery Gergiev, will perform an all-Tchaikovsky programme in London’s Trafalgar Square on Sunday 22 May, the fifth concert in the Orchestra’s annual BMW LSO Open Air Classics series, free and open to all. Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and Symphony No 4 will be performed as well as an arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake suite, which will be played by 42 young musicians from from the LSO’s On Track programme and 23 musicians from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama side-by-side with members of the LSO. The concert will be presented by Paul Rissmann.

This is the fifth event in the BMW LSO Open Air Classics series, a unique and now hotly-anticipated fixture in London’s musical calendar, which each year has seen a capacity crowd of thousands experience the LSO in Trafalgar Square, completely free. BMW shares the LSO’s belief that the greatest music should be enjoyed by the greatest number of people, and partners similar highly-successful outdoor Opera for All events in Munich and Berlin.

Dr Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, said: “It’s great to be celebrating not only the BMW Group’s centenary but also the fifth year of the BMW LSO Open Air Classics. I’d like to sincerely thank our partner LSO for sharing our vision. Since starting the series in 2012, thousands of people have been able to enjoy a concert by a world-class orchestra in the stunning open-air environment of Trafalgar Square. This is what BMW’s cultural engagement is all about – taking classical music outside the concert hall, giving people the opportunity to enjoy the arts without boundaries. We’re proud to make this happen in the heart of London year after year.”

Kathryn McDowell CBE DL, Managing Director of the LSO, said: “We are delighted to return to Trafalgar Square for our fifth, free concert, the result of our unique partnership with BMW. This year’s event promises to be truly spectacular with an all-Tchaikovsky programme featuring his 1812 Overture and 4th Symphony. BMW LSO Open Air Classics is a real highlight in the Orchestra’s calendar, for the players, the large audience of Londoners and visitors, and also for the young musicians from our On Track programme in East London who I’m pleased will return this year, performing music from Swan Lake side-by-side with members of the Orchestra. The LSO is grateful to BMW for their continued commitment to this event, and to the Mayor of London for his support.”

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London said: “The LSO concerts in Trafalgar Square have been delighting Londoners and tourists alike for five years with a wonderful selection of music that packs in the crowds. As a free event in the heart of the capital it is opening up classical music to a wider audience. It’s fantastic that young musicians have the opportunity to play alongside professionals with the esteemed Gergiev at the helm. I have no doubt that this year’s event will be extremely popular.”

LSO On Track is a year-round programme delivered in partnership with the LSO’s music education hub partners in the former Olympic Host and Gateway boroughs in East London. Young musicians from East London, many from challenging backgrounds, are given training by LSO musicians and throughout the year a number of inspiring performance opportunities, including the opportunity to perform with the LSO in Trafalgar Square.

The performance in Trafalgar Square will begin at 6.30pm, though early arrival is essential to secure entry – Full event information at lso.co.uk/openair

About BMW’s Cultural Commitment

For more than 40 years now, the BMW Group has initiated and engaged in over 100 cultural cooperations worldwide. The company places the main focus of its long-term commitment on modern and contemporary art, jazz and classical music as well as architecture and design. In 1972, three large-scale paintings were created by the artist Gerhard Richter specifically for the foyer of the BMW Group's Munich headquarters. Since then, artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Olafur Eliasson, Jeff Koons, Zubin Metha, Daniel Barenboim and Anna Netrebko have co-operated with BMW. The company has also commissioned famous architects such as Karl Schwanzer, Zaha Hadid and Coop Himmelb(l)au to design important corporate buildings and plants. In 2011, the BMW Guggenheim Lab, a global initiative of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, the Guggenheim Museum and the BMW Group celebrated its world premiere in New York. The BMW Group takes absolute creative freedom in all the cultural activities it is involved in for granted – as this is just as essential for groundbreaking artistic work as it is for major innovations in a successful business.

The BMW Group

With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 30 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2015, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.247 million cars and nearly 137,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2015 was approximately € 9.22 billion on revenues amounting to € 92.18 billion. As of 31 December 2015, the BMW Group had a workforce of 122,244 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

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