It鈥檚 hard to imagine a creative spirit more Russian than Rachmaninov 鈥� or more Scottish than James MacMillan. But like any truly great artists, both composers take the local and make it universal: Rachmaninov in the most grandly romantic of all late Romantic Symphonies, MacMillan in a piano concerto that began life as a ballet score, and pulls three centuries of Scottish musical history into a whirling, dazzling reel. Peter Donohoe leads the dance tonight, while Andrew Litton will make the music soar 鈥� and smash a bottle of champagne on the bows of a brand-new orchestral work by the young Liverpool composer Mark Simpson.

Pre-Concert Prelude (6.45pm in the Recital Room):
Liverpool-born composer Mark Simpson introduces his new work Israfel and talks about his life as a musician, in conversation with Alex Gascoine (free to ticket-holders, limited seating availability).

Post-Concert Coda (approximately 10 minutes after the main concert)
The last of Peter Donohoe鈥檚 recitals complementing the MacMillan piano concertos.

The concert will be broadcast live on 麻豆社 Radio 3, presented by Jamie MacDougall.