From London Symphony Orchestra’s appearance on Rosalía’s album Lux to Angélique Kidjo’s Proms takeover at the Royal Albert Hall, London’s classical music scene has felt especially lively this year. Rounding it out beautifully, The Guardian has recognised Sinfonia of London on their list of top classical recordings of 2025.
Sinfonia of London’s Walton album: one of The Guardian’s favourite classical offerings of 2025
Released on 7 November, Sinfonia of London’s Walton album, Cello Concerto, Symphony No. 1 & Scapino, includes three pieces: the Cello Concerto (1956), Symphony No. 1 (1932–35), and the overture Scapino (1940). It was recorded at St Augustine’s Church in Kilburn, London back in January 2024 and features performances by Sinfonia of London and cellist Jonathan Aasgaard conducted by John Wilson.
The Guardian called it a “rumbustious” triumph that “snaps, crackles and pops,” praising Wilson’s dynamic pacing and Aasgaard’s angst-ridden romantic sweep. The album received a glowing five-star review and landed at #7 on the publication’s list of top classical recordings of 2025, behind releases by the likes of Berlin Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Collegium Novum Zürich.
Where to see Sinfonia of London live in 2025-2026
Sinfonia of London: A Christmas Songbook
Conducted by John Wilson, Sinfonia of London present ‘A Christmas Songbook’. The show includes a mixture of Christmas classics and Big Band hits, from “Winter Wonderland” and “Let it Snow” to “Come Fly with Me” and “Let’s Face the Music and Dance”. The two-hour concert will also feature guest appearances from jazz singers Matthew Ford and Clare Teal.
🗓️18 December 2025
📍The Glasshouse International Centre for Music
🎟️£24.50 – £52.50
Sinfonia of London: A Swinging Christmas
The following night, John Wilson and Sinfonia of London are teaming up with Matthew Ford and Clare Teal again to present “A Swinging Christmas”—an orchestral concert featuring renditions of “White Christmas”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and more.
🗓️19 December 2025
📍Snape Maltings Concert Hall
🎟️£10-£70
Check out more upcoming classical Christmas concerts in London here.
Elgar’s Enigma Variations
Pianist Alexandre Kantorow, described by The Guardian as a ‘fire-breathing virtuoso’ , joins John Wilson and Sinfonia of London for an evening featuring Richard Strauss’s Don Juan, Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and Elgar’s Enigma Variations.
🗓️13 March 2026
📍The Glasshouse International Centre for Music
🎟️ £5.00 to £52.50
Celebrating Sinatra
This show celebrates all things Sinatra with hits like “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and “Come Fly with Me” performed in their original orchestration as well as songs from movies like High Society and Guys and Dolls. Vocalist Matt Ford will also be performing alongside Sinfonia of London.
🗓️3-6 June 2026
📍The Grange Festival
🎟️£18 – £124
More classical music concerts in London 2025-2026
BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall
BBC Proms are set to run from mid-July to mid-September 2026. While the programme is still under wraps, expect performances from BBC Symphony Orchestra and London Symphony Orchestra.
Barbican concerts 2026
The Barbican’s hosting a range of classical concerts in 2026, from Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius by London Symphony Orchestra and Sir Antonio Pappano (April) to Evgeny Kissin’s recital featuring Beethoven, Chopin, Schumannand Liszt (March).
Candlelight concert series
Candlelight has several classical concerts lined up on selected dates over the coming months. These candlelit shows pay tribute to a myriad of genres and artists from pop stars like Taylor Swift to Adele to rock icons like Queen, classical musicians like Vivaldi and more.