Liepāja Symphony Orchestra
07/11/2026 18.00
Liepāja Concert Hall "Lielais dzintars", Great Hall
Featuring:
Margarita Balanas (cello)
Liepāja Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Douglas Bostock
Programme:
Edward Elgar (1857-1934) Cello Concerto
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) A London Symphony
Gustav Holst (1874-1934) Phantastes Suite
Internationally acclaimed Latvian cellist Margarita Balanas, together with the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, invites you to an evening that weaves together the distinctive voices of three early-20th-century British composers. On the podium will be British maestro Douglas Bostock.
At the heart of the evening is Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto, a central work of the composer’s late period. It is also one of the most important pieces in the cello repertoire.
The concerto was written after the First World War, while the composer was staying in a secluded country house in Sussex. Proximity to nature and isolation from the city—and from the noise of war—combined with an awareness of the devastation it had caused, fostered a shift in Elgar’s style toward a more austere, focused, and introspective expression.
In academic literature, Elgar’s Cello Concerto is often interpreted as a work of farewell. During its composition, the health of the composer’s wife, Alice, deteriorated markedly, and less than a year after the work’s premiere she passed away.
After the death of his life partner, Elgar’s creative activity virtually came to a halt. Over the following 14 years he produced no major large-scale works—a fact that scholars have convincingly linked to the loss of his wife.
Performing this work with the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra will be Margarita Balanas, whom critics describe as one of the most compelling cellists of her generation.
Ralph Vaughan Williams’ A London Symphony is one of the most significant British symphonic works of the early 20th century, marking the composer’s transition from a national-romantic idiom toward broader symphonic thinking.
Although Vaughan Williams emphasized that the work is not programmatically illustrative, distinctly London elements can be heard throughout—the tolling motifs of Westminster bells, echoes of street musicians, and the city’s rhythmic tension—organically embedded in the symphonic fabric as timbral or rhythmic impulses.
The symphony holds a special place in British music history not only for its expansive form, but also for its aesthetic programme: in it Vaughan Williams affirms the belief that national identity in music may be expressed not only through the direct use of folk-music quotations, but also through harmonic thinking and the shaping of musical time itself.
Gustav Holst’s Phantastes Suite will be heard in Liepāja for the first time since its premiere in 1912.
As conductor Douglas Bostock notes, after this single performance Holst withdrew the piece and removed it from his official catalogue of works, considering it an artistically incomplete realization of his idea. As a result, the Phantastes Suite has remained outside the concert repertoire, unlike other works from the same period that later became established in the canon.
The suite reveals Holst as a composer in a period of artistic exploration: it brings together vivid symphonic colours, rhythmic vitality, and an experimental form, foreshadowing ideas that would later develop in more mature works. In this way, it offers valuable insight into the formation of the composer’s musical language and provides a rare opportunity to encounter a lesser-known yet significant page in British symphonic music.
Up Close and Musical Festival
CLASSICAL: OPENING NIGHT 13/11/2026
International stars Fanny Clamagirand (violin) and Margarita Balanas (cello) join Artistic Director Shiry Rashkovsky (viola) for a rich and exciting chamber music programme spanning Mozart to Caroline Shaw.
Programme
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart -Duo for violin and viola in G major K423
Maurice Ravel -Sonata for Violin and Cello M. 73
//interval//
Grażyna Bacewicz - Easy Duets on Folk Themes for violin and viola
Caroline Shaw -Limestone and Felt for cello and viola
Ernő Dohnányi -Serenade for String Trio
Fanny Clamagirand, violin
Shiry Rashkovsky, viola
Margarita Balanas, cello
Doors open 19:00; drinks available at the bar
The performance starts at 19:30 and will last 100 minutes, including a 20 minute interval
https://upcloseandmusical.com/2026/p/classical-opening-night-13112026
ANONIMI ORCHESTRA
ANONIMI ORCHESTRA at Ladbroke Hall
Margarita Balanas conducts ANONIMI Orchestra at London's Ladbroke Hall where the orchestra holds its residency.
More information available via:
ADDA SIMFÒNICA ALICANTE
Programa
ADDA SIMFÒNICA ALICANTE
BENEDICT KLOECKNER, violonchelo
MARGARITA BALANAS, directora invitada
Mozart, Sinfonía núm. 35 Haffner
Haydn, Concierto para violonchelo en Do mayor
Mendelssohn, Sinfonía núm. 2 Lobgesang (Himno de Alabanza)
Datos del evento
FechaViernes 11 de diciembre 2026
Hora
20:00 horas
LugarADDA, Auditorio de la Diputación de Alicante
DirecciónPaseo de Campoamor, s/n, 03010 Alicante
Precio
40, 47 y 55 euros
Descuentos
Consultar descuentos para menores 30 y mayores 65 años
Entradas online Comprar aquí
Entradas físicasEn taquilla del ADDA de lunes a viernes, de 11:00 a 14:00 h y de 17:00 a 20:00 h, dos horas antes de cada concierto y llamando al 965 91 91 00
Prof. Dr. Jürg Kesselring | How The Brain Responds To Music
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Jürg Kesselring
Musicians: Margarita Balanas (cello), Prof. Dr. Jürg Kesselring (cello), Martin James Bartlett (piano)
The healing power of music is not just an empty phrase. What happens in the brain when we listen to, play, or experience music together? Renowned Swiss neurologist Professor Dr. Jürg Kesselring combines new findings from brain research with personal experiences in music and with musicians, and shows why music is far more than just sound. He has worked in the field of multiple sclerosis and also at the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London. He is an active member of the Board of the Music Academy Liechtenstein, where he regularly teaches masterclasses on “Music & Brain” and on “How to Deal with Success & Failure”. He has recently given talks at the renowned Chamber Music Festival in Lockenhaus, Austria.
Sunbeam Theatre, LONDON
Tuesday 06 October - 7:00pm - 8:30pm
ANONIMI
ANONIMI SEASON OPENING
Wednesday 30 September - 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Ladbroke Hall: Sunbeam Theatre
W. A. Mozart Symphony No. 35 / Haffner (arr. Simon Parkin)
F. Gulda Concerto for Cello and Wind Orchestra Op. 129
Conductor and soloist, Margarita Balanas
ANONIMI
After successfully launching its Ladbroke Hall residency earlier this year, ANONIMI Chamber Orchestra opens the season on 30 September with a concert that opens the hall’s classical series curated by the ensemble. Founded in 2023 by Margarita Balanas, Decca Classics artist and award-winning cellist-conductor, ANONIMI brings together exceptional young musicians from the UK, known for vivid, high-energy performances that reimagine the classical concert experience. From 2026, Ladbroke Hall becomes ANONIMI’s creative home – a space for bold arrangements, composer-led explorations and unforgettable evenings where beloved masterpieces meet fresh perspectives.
ANONIMI’s season launch pairs the “Haffner” in Simon Parkin’s chamber arrangement with Gulda’s fearless cello concerto - loud, alive and not to be missed. See you there.
Info and tickets:
https://ladbrokehall.com/live-programme/classical-2/anonimi-orchestra/
OFF Limits Orchestra
Margarita Balanas - O Concerto de Gulda
Symphonic / Jazz / Rock / Crossover Concert
Irreverent, unpredictable and absolutely infectious, Friedrich Gulda's Cello Concerto challenges all the conventions of the classical repertoire. Between influences from jazz, rock, popular music and symphonic tradition, the work transforms the concert into a spectacle of energy, humor and creative freedom. Cellist Margarita Balanas joins the OFF Limits Orchestra, directed by Tiago Moreira da Silva, for a vibrant interpretation of one of the boldest scores of the 20th century. A concert that celebrates the versatility of the cello and invites the audience to rediscover classical music without borders.
Performers:
- Margarita Balanas, cello
- OFF Limits Orchestra
- Tiago Moreira da Silva, musical direction
More information: https://acordacellofestival.com/concertos
Pärnu Festival Orchestra
Conductor:
Paavo Järvi
Estonian Festival Orchestra
Kristīne Balanas (violin)
Margarita Balanas (cello)
Programme:
Philip Glass (1937) – Double Concerto for Violin and Cello (2010)
Duet No. 1
Duet No. 2
Duet No. 3
Duet No. 4
Pärnu Concert Hall, Estonia
More info: here
LANXESS ARENA ,Cologne
Performances together with Kristīne Balanas at Greator Festival, Cologne
10. Abonnementkonzert Margarita Balanas und Ariel Zuckermann
10. Abonnementkonzert
Margarita Balanas und Ariel Zuckermann
Ingolstadt, Stadttheater - Festsaal
Schloßlände 1, 85049 Ingolstadt (Deutschland) - Karte
Ein inspirierender Konzertabend erwartet das Publikum mit der ausdrucksstarken Cellistin Margarita Balanas und dem Dirigenten Ariel Zuckermann. Balanas begeistert durch ihre technische Brillanz und emotionale Tiefe, besonders im virtuosen Cellokonzert von Saint-Saëns.
Das Programm spannt einen Bogen von Prokofjews spritziger „Symphonie classique“ bis zu Beethovens 4. Sinfonie. Ein Abend voller Eleganz, Energie und musikalischer Vielfalt.
Programm:
Sergej Prokofjew: Sinfonie Nr. 1 D-Dur op. 25 „Symphonie classique“
Camille Saint-Saëns: Cellokonzert Nr. 1 in a-Moll, op. 33
Ludwig van Beethoven: Sinfonie Nr. 4 B-Dur op. 60
Margarita Balanas, Violoncello
Ariel Zuckermann, Leitung
https://www.ticket-regional.de/events_info.php?eventID=234337
Öffentliche Generalprobe - 10. Abonnementkonzert Margarita Balanas und Ariel Zuckermann
Öffentliche Generalprobe - 10. Abonnementkonzert
Margarita Balanas und Ariel Zuckermann
Ingolstadt, Stadttheater - Festsaal
Schloßlände 1, 85049 Ingolstadt (Deutschland) - Karte
Ein inspirierender Konzertabend erwartet das Publikum mit der ausdrucksstarken Cellistin Margarita Balanas und dem Dirigenten Ariel Zuckermann. Balanas begeistert durch ihre technische Brillanz und emotionale Tiefe, besonders im virtuosen Cellokonzert von Saint-Saëns.
Das Programm spannt einen Bogen von Prokofjews spritziger „Symphonie classique“ bis zu Beethovens 4. Sinfonie. Ein Abend voller Eleganz, Energie und musikalischer Vielfalt.
Programm:
Sergej Prokofjew: Sinfonie Nr. 1 D-Dur op. 25 „Symphonie classique“
Camille Saint-Saëns: Cellokonzert Nr. 1 in a-Moll, op. 33
Ludwig van Beethoven: Sinfonie Nr. 4 B-Dur op. 60
Margarita Balanas, Violoncello
Ariel Zuckermann, Leitung
https://www.ticket-regional.de/events_info.php?eventID=238377
Dzintari Concert Hall
Performers:
Kristīne Balanas, violin
Margarita Balanas, cello
Programme:
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Concerto for Violin and Cello in A minor, Op. 102
Conductor:
Aivis Greters
Festival Orchestra
L'Auditori: Sala Oriol Martorell Lepanto, Barcelona
Recital with Kristīne Balanas, violin
Programme:
Zoltán Kodály (1882–1967)
Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7
Pēteris Vasks (b. 1946)
Castillo Interior
Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
Sonata for Violin and Cello
George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
Suite No. 7 in G minor, HWV 432: Passacaglia
Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)
The Four Seasons
(Il cimento dell’armonia e dell’inventione), Op. 8, Nos. 1–4
(Arr. by K. and M. Balanas)
Ladbroke Hall, London
Program
F. Mendelssohn, Concerto for Violin Op. 64, in E minor (Arr. Ilan Rechtman)
Z. Kodály, Duo for Violin and Cello, Op.7
Kristīne Balanas, violin
Margarita Balanas, cello
ANONIMI Chamber Orchestra
https://ladbrokehall.com/live-programme/classical-2/anonimi/
Ulsan Arts Center: Dvorak Concerto
Margarita performs Dvorak Cello Concerto with Ulsan Philharmonic with conductor Chung Min
Conducting debut: Samsung Arts Center (Jeonju)
Margarita conducts Jeonju Symphony Orchestra
Venue: Samsung Arts Center
Programme:
Beethoven Die Weihe des Hauses op.124
Stravinsky Firebird 1919
Paganini Guitar Quartet No. 15 arranged for Viola
-interval-
Dvorak Symphony No.9 ''From The New World'
Suseong Artpia (Daegu)
Margarita Balanas performs piano trios together with William Youn (piano) and Mone Hattori (violin)
Choi Ina Books (Seoul)
Margarita Balanas performs piano trios together with William Youn (piano) and Mone Hattori (violin)
Seoul, Choi Ina Books
ANONIMI: DVORAK 9 (LONDON)
Doors open – 7:00pm
Performance begins – 8:00pm
Latecomers will not be admitted
TICKETS AND INFO:
“The latest voice in the dialogue about what the future of classical music might look like” – The Arts Desk
ANONIMI Chamber Orchestra launches its exciting new residency series at Ladbroke Hall. The season opens with Dvořák’s New World Symphony in Iain Farrington’s chamber arrangement for just 17 players, bringing this iconic work into sharp, intimate focus. Founded in 2023 by Margarita Balanas, Decca Classics artist and award-winning cellist–conductor, ANONIMI brings together exceptional young musicians from the UK, known for vivid, high-energy performances that reimagine the classical concert experience. From 2026, Ladbroke Hall becomes ANONIMI’s creative home – a space for bold arrangements, composer-led explorations and unforgettable evenings where beloved masterpieces meet fresh perspectives.
ANONIMI is grateful for the support of Fidelio Charitable Trust.
Latvian conductor and cellist Margarita Balanas has performed at leading venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, Berliner Philharmonie, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall, Sydney Opera House, Foundation Louis Vuitton and L’Auditori Barcelona.
Margarita is the founder and conductor of the ANONIMI Orchestra and Charity. She held the Assistant Conductor position to Paavo Järvi at the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich in season 23/24 and 24/25. This season includes conducting debuts with Das Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen and Argovia Philharmonic.
Margarita is a Decca Classics recording artist and is a recipient of the Latvian Grand Music Award and has performed as soloist with the Munich Philharmonic, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and at festivals such as Dresdner Musikfestspiele, International Cello Festival Shanghai, Moritzburg Festival, and Festival Radio France Occitanie Montpellier.
“It’s more mysterious than ever today what it takes to be a conductor, but you can tell straight away whether someone has that certain something. Margarita Balanas has it.” -Maestro Järvi
Through The Noise
📅 Date: 19 February 2026
🕰️ Time: doors open 7pm
📍 Location: The Mildmay Club (N16 9PR)
Kristine and Margarita Balanas bring duets for violin and cello by Maurice Ravel, Peteris Vasks, and more to iconic working people’s club The Mildmay Club.
Timings
7pm: doors open
7.30pm: recommended latest arrival
8pm: The Balanas Sisters' set starts
9.30pm: estimated finish time
More info + tickets: https://www.throughthenoise.co.uk/noisenight232
Balanas & Balanas
Zwei in Lettland geborene Schwestern wollen sich in Herzen des Publikums spielen: die Geigerin Kristine Balanas und die Cellistin Margarita Balanas. Die beiden Musikerinnen gehören zu den vielseitigsten und aufregendsten Künstlerinnen ihrer Generation. Mit ihrer virtuosen Pracht haben sie die Zuhörenden in den bedeutendsten Konzertsälen der Welt in ungläubiges Staunen versetzt und mitgerissen. In der Berliner Philharmonie haben sie mit dem Doppelkonzert von Brahms das Publikum begeistert.
Und jetzt werden sie ihre Kunst in der Kirche Seon vorstellen. Kristine Balanas tritt mit den bekanntesten Sinfonieorchestern in ganz Europa und Asien auf und spielt mit ihrer unglaublichen Virtuosität und Musikalität die grossen Violinkonzerte von Beethoven, Bartok, Tschaikowsky, Barber. Margarita Balanas ist nicht nur versierte Kammermusikerin und Solistin, sondern auch Dirigentin. Zwei Saisons lang war sie beim Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich Assistentin des Chefdirigenten Paavo Järvi, der über sie das sagte: «Es ist ja heute mysteriöser denn je, was es braucht für diesen Beruf, aber man merkt sofort, ob jemand das gewisse Etwas hat. Margarita Balanas hat es.»
In Seon spielen die Schwestern unter anderem Werke des in Riga lebenden, 1946 geborenen Peteris Vasks, von Antonio Vivaldi und Zoltan Kodaly. Der Abend verspricht eine Fülle lebendig vorgetragener, abwechslungsreicher Musik!
More info and tickets:
Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen
Margarita conducts Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen at Tonhalle St.Gallen
Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen
Margarita conducts Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen at Tonhalle St.Gallen
MAHLER 4
Margarita conducts ANONIMI at Ladbroke Hall on the 12th of November
Repertoire:
Gustav Mahler 4th Symphony in G Major (Arr. Iain Farrington)
Performers:
Samuel Mariño, Soprano
ANONIMI Chamber Orchestra
Margarita Balanas, Conductor
https://ladbrokehall.com/live-programme/live-music/anonimi-plays-mahler-4/
Festival Internacional de Música de Paços de Brandão
Balanas Sisters perform at Festival Internacional de Música de Paços de Brandão
The Villa Charlotte Classics Festival
Classics Festival of La Villa Charlotte - Grand Concert III - Finale
Sergeï Prokofiev (Overture on Jewish Themes op. 34 - Sextet for clarinet in B flat, piano and string quartet), Belá Bartók (Contrasts for violin, clarinet and piano), Sergeï Rachmaninov (Trio Elegiac n. 1 in G Minor, violin, cello and piano), Georges Gershwin (Rhapsody in Blue, version for piano 4 hands).
By: Sérgio Pires (clarinet), Fanny Clamagirand (violin), Mira Foron (violin), Miguel Da Silva (viola), Margarita Balanas (cello), Jean-Paul Gasparian (piano), Matan Porat (piano).
The Villa Charlotte Classics Festival
Antonin Dvorak, Quintet for piano and strings n. 2 in A Major op. 81.
By: Fanny Clamagirand (violin), Mira Foron (violin), Miguel Da Silva (viola), Margarita Balanas (cello), Matan Porat (piano).
The Villa Charlotte Classics Festival
Max Bruch (Eight pieces op. 83 for clarinet, cello and piano).
By: Sérgio Pires (clarinet), Margarita Balanas (cello), Matan Porat (piano).
Johann Farjot - Creation for violin and clarinet (commissioned by the Festival).
By: Fanny Clamagirand (violin), Sérgio Pires (clarinet).
Johannes Brahms (Quintet for clarinet and strings in B Minor, Op. 115).
By: Sérgio Pires (clarinet), Fanny Clamagirand (violin), Mira Foron (violin), Miguel Da Silva (viola), Margarita Balanas (cello).
The Villa Charlotte Classics Festival
Johan Sebastian Bach, First suite for solo cello: Prelude, Sarabande, Courante.
György Ligeti, Sonata for solo cello : 2nd movement "Capriccio".
Krzysztof Pernderecki, Capriccio, for solo violin.
Johann Sebastian Bach, Sonata for solo violin BWV 1001 Adagio & Fugue.
Eugène Ysaÿe, Sonata no. 3 op. 27 for solo violin "Ballade".
By: Mira Foron (violin), Margarita Balanas (cello)
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich
Margarita conducts Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich
Kunterwunderbunt – Abschlusskonzert «Fest der Farben»
Musik von Rodolphe Schacher