A birdseye view of an audience sitting on colourful beanbags with musicians placed among them and the conductor standing in the centre

Shostakovich Inside Out

Shostakovich Inside Out

BEANBAG CONCERT SERIES

Explore Dmitri Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony as Aurora Orchestra unpacks its drama, depth and defiance.

Discover Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony in a fresh and immersive way. Through a conversational presentation, founder-conductor Nicholas Collon and Aurora Orchestra explore the piece, pausing to share insights and delve into its emotional depth and historical context.

Composed in 1937 following a scathing Pravda review, the symphony was Shostakovich’s response to Joseph Stalin’s regime. From the militaristic drive of the outer movements to the poignant Largo, the work is rich in both emotional complexity and musical innovation.

This beanbag concert offers an opportunity to experience the symphony in an intimate setting, allowing you to explore its powerful narrative and intricate composition like never before.

0 Stars

Loved the relaxed atmosphere in Usher Hall with beanbags

Audience member on the 2024 Beanbag Concert series

The Warm Up: Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony

Listen to The Warm Up, your bite-sized audio introduction to the performance.

Hear Nicola Benedetti and conductor Nicholas Collon discuss Shostakovich's defiant Fifth Symphony; and how performing it by memory evokes a vibrant energy.

Listen on Soundcloud or Spotify.

Programme

A keepsake freesheet is available at the venue for this performance.

Full programme

Shostakovich Symphony No.5 in D minor, Op.47

Performers

CloseOpen
  • Aurora Orchestra
  • Nicholas Collon
    Conductor
Aurora OrchestraCloseOpen
  • Conductor
    Nicholas Collon
  • Violin 1
    Alexandra Wood
    Emily Davis
    Lonneke van Straalen
    Doriane Gable
    Alexandra Raikhlina
    Elizabeth Cooney
    Ian Watson
    Tom Aldren
    Bridget O'Donnell
    Michael Jones
    Greta Mutlu
    Ronald Long
    Alex Lomeiko
    Elise Scheurer
  • Violin 2
    Eva Thorarinsdottir
    Laura Vikman
    Elvira van Groningen
    Tamara Elias
    Gillon Cameron
    Lara Sullivan
    Hannah Bell
    Anna Caban
    Yuliya Ostapchuk
    Flora Fontanelli
    Katrina Lee
    Alicia Berendse
  • Viola
    Ruth Gibson
    Miguel Sobrinho
    Christine Anderson
    Richard Waters
    Dunia Ershova
    Kay Stephen
    Anna Barsegjana
    Kasia Ziminska
    Connie Pharoah
    Clem Pickering
  • Cello
    Sébastien van Kuijk
    Reinoud Ford
    Ben Chappell
    Adi Tal
    Alexander Holladay
    Ariana Kashefi
    Rebecca Herman
    Charlotte Kaslin
  • Double Bass
    Ben Griffiths
    Marianne Schofield
    Lucía Polo Moreno
    Martin Ludenbach
    Toby Hughes
    Ben Havinden-Williams
  • Flute
    Jane Mitchell
    Sarah Bennett
  • Piccolo
    Rebecca Larsen
  • Oboe
    Armand Djikoloum
    Katie Bennington
  • Clarinet
    Timothy Orpen
    Max Welford
  • Eb Clarinet
    Emma Burgess
  • Bassoon
    Amy Harman
    Dominic Tyler
  • Contrabassoon
    Fraser Gordon
  • Horn
    Annemarie Federle
    Amadea Dazeley-Gaist
    Flora Bain
  • Trumpet
    Aaron Akugbo
    Sam Kinrade
    Holly Clark
    James Nash
  • Trombone
    Jamie Tweed
    Benny Vernon
  • Bass Trombone
    James Buckle
  • Tuba
    Sasha Koushk-Jalali
  • Timpani
    Tom Pritchard
  • Percussion
    Henry Baldwin
    Jacob Brown
    Laura Bradford
    Francesca Lombardelli
  • Harp
    Sally Pryce
    Daniel De Fry
  • Piano/Celeste
    John Reid

Dive Deeper

Listen to The Warm Up: your audio introduction to the performance.

Programme Note

Get to Know

Get to know: Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony

At the 2025 International Festival, we have commissioned a series of expert essays to help you Dive Deeper into your Festival experience.The programme note by…

Listen to Shostakovich Symphony No. 5

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