Hallé Orchestra to bring programme of Ravel, Szymanowski and Rachmaninov to Sheffield City Hall
The Hallé Orchestra comes to Sheffield City Hall on Friday, October 23 as part of the Sheffield International Concert Season.
Conductor Nicholas Collon leads the Hallé Orchestra in an evocative programme exploring distant lands, lost homelands, and fantastical musical worlds at Sheffield City Hall on Friday, 23 October 2026.
Known for his ability to connect people through the power of orchestral music, Collon will guide audiences through a programme featuring works by Ravel, Szymanowski and Rachmaninov, taking listeners on a journey through vivid soundscapes and powerful emotions.
The evening opens with Ravel’s Three Songs Without Words, orchestrated by Colin Matthews. These luminous arrangements bring Ravel’s enchanting miniature worlds to life, offering fleeting glimpses of wintry cityscapes, shimmering dreamscapes and a merry Christmas scene.
The programme continues with Szymanowski’s rhapsodic and ecstatic Violin Concerto No. 2, a work inspired by the folk music of the Tatra Mountains in the composer’s native Poland. Hallé Orchestra Leader Emily Davis takes centre stage as soloist, bringing breathtaking virtuosity to this richly expressive concerto.
Following the interval, the orchestra performs Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 3. Written during the composer’s exile in Switzerland, the symphony is infused with nostalgia and longing for his Russian homeland, blending brooding intensity with moments of lyrical beauty.
Bringing together three distinctive composers, the concert promises an immersive evening of orchestral storytelling, showcasing the power of music to transport audiences across landscapes, cultures and emotions.