Upcoming events
ZEBRA (or, 2-3-74 The Divine Invasion of Phillip K.Dick) - World Premiere
On Tuesday, 22 July 2025, the Royal Albert Hall will host a BBC Proms concert featuring the world premiere of Mark Simpson’s ZEBRA (or, 2-3-74: The Divine Invasion of Philip K. Dick), an electric guitar concerto inspired by the science fiction writer's visionary experiences. Performed by guitarist Sean Shibe alongside the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Anja Bihlmaier, the programme also includes Richard Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration and concludes with Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique. Tickets range from £11 to £56, plus booking fees, and will be available for purchase starting 17 May 2025.
Ariel, Nachtstück, Darknes Moves 1 - at North York Moors festival.
On Friday, 15 August 2025 at 7:00 PM, the North York Moors Chamber Music Festival will present "A Strange Tide Turns" at the Welburn Manor Marquee, featuring a programme that includes Mark Simpson's Ariel for clarinet, horn, violin, viola, and piano. This concert also showcases Szymanowski’s La fontaine d’Aréthuse, Lekeu’s Violin Sonata in G major, Brahms’s Horn Trio in E-flat major, and Widmann’s Air for horn. Tickets are priced at £18, with a season ticket available for £190; attendees under 30 receive free admission.
Hold Your Heart In Your Teeth - UK Premiere
On Thursday, 25 September 2025 at 7:30 PM, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will present a compelling programme at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, featuring the UK premiere of Artist in Residence Mark Simpson’s viola concerto, Hold Your Heart in Your Teeth, performed by soloist Timothy Ridout under the baton of Principal Guest Conductor Andrew Manze. The evening also includes Butterworth’s A Shropshire Lad, Debussy’s La cathédrale engloutie arranged by Sir Henry Wood, and concludes with Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition in Wood’s rarely heard orchestration, showcasing the orchestra’s renowned collection of church bells. Tickets are priced at £59, £54, £44, £38, £30, £20, and £10, with a 10% administrative fee for online and telephone orders, and a £2.50 postage fee for mailed tickets.
'Israfel' in Baltimore
On Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 8:00 PM, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will present a concert at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall featuring Mark Simpson's Israfel, a haunting tribute to Edgar Allan Poe. The program also includes Copland's Piano Concerto, performed by David Kaplan. Tickets and booking information are available through the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's official website.
Hold Your Heart in Your Teeth - Swiss Premiere
On Wednesday, 5 November 2025 at 7:30 PM, the Musikkollegium Winterthur will present a concert at the Stadthaus in Winterthur, Switzerland, featuring the Swiss premiere of Mark Simpson’s viola concerto Hold Your Heart in Your Teeth, performed by violist Timothy Ridout under the direction of conductor Alexandre Bloch. The programme also includes Beethoven’s overture to The Creatures of Prometheus and Sibelius’s Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63. Tickets are priced at CHF 30, 50, 70, and 85, with single tickets for subscription concerts available from 26 August 2025. Prior to that date, reservations can be made by emailing the box office with the desired number of tickets and category. A pre-concert talk by Amalia Vasella will take place at 6:45 PM in the Stadtratsaal.
Feirerabend - Bruch Double Concerto Mark Simpson/Tim Ridout
On Friday, 7 November 2025, at 5:30 PM, the Musikkollegium Winterthur will present “Meet Mark Simpson,” an evening concert at the Stadthaus Winterthur featuring clarinettist and composer Mark Simpson. The programme includes Max Bruch’s rarely performed Double Concerto for Clarinet and Viola in E minor, Op. 88, with Simpson and violist Timothy Ridout as soloists under the baton of Alexandre Bloch. The second half showcases three of Simpson’s chamber works: “An Essay of Love” for violin and piano, “Echoes and Embers” for clarinet and piano, and “Ariel” for bassett clarinet, violin, cello, and piano. Admission is free without a ticket, though reserved seating is available for CHF 15. The foyer bar opens at 5:00 PM, and audience members are invited to meet the artists after the performance.
Darkness Moves 2 -Ben Goldscheider and Phil Dawson. Boulezsaal, Berlin.
On Thursday, 20 November 2025 at 7:30 PM, Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin will present "Ben Goldscheider & Philip Dawson: Works for Horn and Live Electronics," a concert exploring the sonic possibilities of the French horn in combination with live electronics. The programme features newly commissioned works by composers Thea Musgrave, Alex Groves, Zoë Martlew, and Mark Simpson, including Simpson's Darkness Moves II for horn and live electronics. Tickets are priced at €10, €15, €25, €35, and €45, and can be purchased through the venue's official website.
Geysir/Mozart Gran Partita with RLPO
On Wednesday, 14 January 2026 at 7:30 PM, The Tung Auditorium in Liverpool will host “Mark Simpson Wind Ensemble,” a chamber concert led by clarinettist and composer Mark Simpson, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s Artist in Residence. The programme features Simpson’s own composition Geysir, inspired by the raw energy of Iceland’s volcanic landscape, alongside Gary Carpenter’s Pantomime for 13 Winds, a contemporary homage to Mozart’s Gran Partita, which will also be performed. The ensemble comprises wind soloists from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets are priced at £31 and £10, with a 10% administrative fee for online and telephone bookings, and an optional £2.50 postage fee for mailed tickets.
Hold Your Heart in Your Teeth - Dutch Premiere
On Thursday, 26 February 2026 at 8:00 PM, Theater aan het Vrijthof in Maastricht will host Philzuid’s “Kosmische Tour,” a programme featuring the Dutch premiere of Mark Simpson’s viola concerto Hold Your Heart in Your Teeth, performed by soloist Timothy Ridout under the baton of chief conductor Duncan Ward. The concert also includes Rachmaninov’s Isle of the Dead and Richard Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra, offering a blend of contemporary and classic orchestral works. Tickets are available in three price categories: €55 (premium), €47 (rank 1), and €39 (rank 2).
'Hommage á Kùrtag' - with Víkingur Ólafsson
On Sunday, 1 March 2026 at 5:00 PM, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London will host “Víkingur Ólafsson celebrates Kurtág at 100,” a concert marking the centenary of Hungarian composer György Kurtág. The programme features Kurtág’s Hommage à J. S. B., Double Concerto, Op. 27 No. 2, Hommage à R. Sch., and ...quasi una fantasia..., Op. 27 No. 1, alongside Robert Schumann’s Fugue on B-A-C-H, Op. 60, Johann Sebastian Bach’s works for solo cello and piano, and Mark Simpson’s Hommage à Kurtág for clarinet, viola, and piano. Performers include pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, cellist István Várdai, and conductor Elena Schwarz, with the Philharmonia Orchestra. Tickets range from £17 to £42, with a £2 restoration levy included; booking fees apply. General booking opens at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, 29 April 2025.
The Immortal - RLPO
On Thursday, 26 March 2026 at 7:30 PM, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will present a concert at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall featuring Elgar’s enduring Serenade for Strings, Sibelius’s majestic Symphony No. 2, and the world premiere of a newly revised version of Mark Simpson’s oratorio The Immortal. Conducted by Daniela Candillari, the performance will include baritone Mark Stone and the vocal ensemble EXAUDI. Following the concert, a post-performance discussion will be held in the Music Room with Artist in Residence Mark Simpson, conductor Daniela Candillari, and lyricist Melanie Challenger. Tickets are available in price categories ranging from £10 to £59, with a 10% administrative fee for online and telephone bookings, and an optional £2.50 postage fee for mailed tickets.
Gnarly Buttons - Ensemble 10:10
On Wednesday, 29 April 2026 at 7:30 PM, The Tung Auditorium in Liverpool will host “Reich and Adams: American Giants,” a concert by Ensemble 10:10 featuring clarinettist and composer Mark Simpson, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s Artist in Residence. The programme includes the UK premiere of Josephine Stephenson’s In Time Like Air, John Adams’s Gnarly Buttons—performed by Simpson—and Steve Reich’s Reich/Richter, a work inspired by visual art and composed for film. George Jackson makes his debut with Ensemble 10:10 as conductor. Tickets are priced at £22 and £10, with a 10% administrative fee for online and telephone bookings, and an optional £2.50 postage fee for mailed tickets.
An Evening with Mark Simpson
On Monday, 11 May 2026 at 8:00 PM, the Liverpool Philharmonic will present “An Evening with Mark Simpson” in the Music Room. This Close Up concert features clarinettist and composer Mark Simpson, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s Artist in Residence, performing a programme that reflects his musical journey. Accompanied by pianist Ian Buckle, Simpson will present works including Gerald Finzi’s Five Bagatelles, his own compositions Lov(escape) and Echoes and Embers, Stephen Pratt’s Short Score, Gary Carpenter’s Clarinet Sonata, and John Ireland’s Fantasy-Sonata. Tickets are priced at £23 and £20, with a 10% administrative fee for online and telephone bookings, and an optional £2.50 postage fee for mailed tickets.
Solo Recital at Kollectiv Folkestone
Acclaimed British clarinettist and composer Mark Simpson will perform a solo recital at Kollectiv, located at 69 The Old High Street, Folkestone, CT20 1RN. Presented as part of Folkestone New Music’s Music Club and the Music in May Programme, the concert will feature a compelling programme including Simpson’s own "Darkness Moves," alongside seminal works such as Luciano Berio’s "Sequenza IX," Kaija Saariaho’s "Duft," John Cage’s "Clarinet Sonata," and Steve Reich’s "New York Counterpoint." Tickets are priced between £10 and £15, with a pay-what-you-can option and free entry for attendees aged 25 and under.
'Alchymia' - with members of the Hallé Orchestra
Artist-in-Residence Thomas Adès’ most recent major chamber work Alchymia is the centrepiece of a concert for clarinet and string quartet, featuring Mark Simpson and Roberto Ruisi. Written in 2021 and ‘woven from threads leading out of the alchemical world of Elizabethan London’, each of Adès’ four movements takes a simple idea and transmutes it into something rich and strange.
Hold Your Heart in Your Teeth
For viola and orchestra, Timothy Ridout Viola, Robin Ticciati conductor, Deutsche Sinfonie Orchester Berlin- 'World Premiere'
