Manchester’s Halle Orchestra has announced some of the highlights for the 2014-2015 season, during which the renowned Manchester orchestra will be joined by performers from around the world for performances at the Bridgewater Hall.

Amongst the highlights are performances of six of Shostakovich’s concertos, which will feature the likes of violinists Viktoria Mullova and Henning Kraggerud, cellists Jian Wang and Alisa Weilerstine and pianist Benjamin Grosvenor. Other performances to note include Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, Holst’s The Plants and a complete performance of Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe (9 October).

The Halle Choir will also feature heavily throuhgout the season with highly a highly anticipated performance of Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis.

It’s not just classical music which the Halle will be lending their bows, clarinets and horns to, either, with the ever popular Halle: Pops featuring in the schedule, with events such as the Ella Fitzgerald Songbook (1 November) and the Movie Classics evening on 21 March as well as the Spanish themed, Halle:Pops – Espana featuring the likes of Ravel’s Bolero, Bizet’s Carmen and Rodrigo’s Concerto de Aranjuez (5 February).

Christmas also promises to be busy for the Halle, with family concerts, sing-alongs, Carol Concerts, and a showing of The Snowman during which the Halle will perform Howard Blake’s score, all taking pace at the Bridgewater Hall. And then there’s the Viennese Celebration (3 January), an Evening with 007 (29 December – count us in!) and the Halle bringing disco to life with a Christmas-Halle Disco (30 December) featuring tunes by Kool and the Gang, Donna Summer, Earth Wind and Fire and more.

And a special event for the romantics out there as the Halle performs a Valentine’s Day Concert featuring some of the most popular love songs of the last fifty years.

The Halle has set itself incredibly high standards over the years, with fantastic performances and a varied, busy and lively schedule, which they have done again this year. It will no doubt be a wonderful 2014/2015 season.

The full schedule can be found at the Halle’s website.

Image courtesy Russel Hart