Paging Nicolas Anelka….

I’m not saying that taking a replacement bus when there are no trains from Birmingham to Solihull is *slow*, but I just listened to the whole of Rachmaninoff’s All Night Vigil and I’m still not home….

If the US and Israel are destroying foreign targets with impunity, it’s hardly surprising that Russia feels it can drop missiles on Poland. What a mess.

⭐️ Hear from @stephenmaddock.bsky.social at the start of the new academic year! Featuring: @royalbirmcons.bsky.social's new students, National Student Survey results, an uplift in ticket sales, and a big thanks RBC's loyal audiences for supporting our students ⭐️ 🔗 www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoir...

“My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.” Donald Trump, at his second inauguration. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

“My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.” Donald Trump, at his second inauguration. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

How glorious to see & hear Judith Weir’s gorgeous 2000 song cycle woman.life.song transformed into a chamber opera by Birmingham Opera. Great staging, singing, playing & conducting (Alpesh Chauhan), with lots of past & present musicians from @royalbirmcons.bsky.social & @thecbso.bsky.social involved

This is excellent news. The fall in A Level Music remains a concern, but a second material increase in GCSE music numbers is a cause for celebration. Young people still want to make music and compose IF their school gives them that opportunity!

Well at least Putin was wearing a suit and said thank you. Otherwise Trump might have given him a hard time.

I know proper cricket fans think #TheHundred is beneath you, but it’s a great way to spend summer eves when you’ve gone back to work in Aug & you can watch an actual game on LIVE TV in knowledge that you won’t have missed all the best bits while you were at work. GO PHOENIX!!

I think if I lived here I might not get round to composing any more masterpieces either.

So in the last 6 weeks the world has lost Brian Wilson, Alfred Brendel, Ozzy Osbourne, Roger Norrington, Cleo Laine & Tom Lehrer. That’s a smart - and very eclectic - addition to the heavenly choir. Good luck to the existing members and whoever has to give the audition feedback.

England supersub Michelle Agyemang has taken her piano with her to Switzerland and plays it to relax every day. 🎹+⚽️=✅ www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

Definitely not a sequel. More of a Northern English Folk Pastoral Coming of Age Brexit parable - with zombies. Very unusual, superb direction and cinematography, plus some highly apposite but unexpected Wagner. And Alfie Williams is sensationally good. www.imdb.com/title/tt1054...

☀️🎶 @royalbirmcons.bsky.social Principal, @stephenmaddock.bsky.social, reflects on the last term and his highlights from the past season - follow the link below to read his entire message from last Friday! 🎶☀️ 📖 www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoir...

Serendipity Festival Day 4: 28 years after it was founded by the genius Joe Broughton, the @royalbirmcons.bsky.social Folk Ensemble finally took to the stage at Symphony Hall!

Serendipity Birmingham Day 3: @royalbirmcons.bsky.social @mybcu.bsky.social Banda Brasileira entertaining a large audience in the JBPS @bmusicltd.bsky.social Symphony Hall. Portuguese music (as heard in Friday’s Fados) travelled to Goa & Brazil & now we’re uniting the traditions!

Standing ovation for Sempre Fado at @royalbirmcons.bsky.social last night, a brilliant opening to Serendipity Festival Birmingham. Lots more events between now and Monday!

Serendipity Arts Festival Birmingham Day 1: the exhibitions are up @royalbirmcons.bsky.social and looking stunning! Events today at 1100, 1500 & 1900 @mybcu.bsky.social

Delighted to appear on BBCWM this evening to talk about the amazing Serendipity Birmingham Festival taking place this weekend at @royalbirmcons.bsky.social @mybcu.bsky.social and @bmusicltd.bsky.social Full details: Serendipityartsfestival.com/birmingham And www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoir...

🎶🤩 Principal @stephenmaddock.bsky.social wishes our students the best of luck during the assessment period, encourages everyone to enjoy the Serendipity Festival at @royalbirmcons.bsky.social and Symphony Hall, and reflects on his 2 years (& 1 week) RBC anniversary! 🤩🎶 www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoir...

Today’s the day, RBQ fans! New series kicks off with the Midlands taking on Northern Ireland in BBC Radio 4 @ 1630. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Congratulations to all at WNO for a magnificent Peter Grimes tonight at Birmingham Hippodrome. Chorus, Orchestra were tremendous and the splendidly detailed performances from a great cast (with terrible 80s hair) were spellbinding. Full house too. #WNOGrimes

“A Pope from Chicago? Yes, I’m available. And here are my conditions”

Congratulations Pope Leo!

One of the best films about music I’ve ever seen. With more than a whiff of Peaky Blinders about it. And Vampires. Totally brilliant! www.imdb.com/title/tt3119...

Still bitter about the time a guy in work said he was going on holiday and I asked where he was going and he said, “Santander,” and I said, “So it’s a bank holiday?” and he didn’t laugh.

🎶🤩 Principal @stephenmaddock.bsky.social updates on upcoming performances at @royalbirmcons.bsky.social, increased event attendance, and the Serendipity Arts Festival, which will be hosted at RBC and Symphony Hall over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend! 🤩🎶 Read more here: www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoir...

Finally got round to watching #Conclave. What a brilliantly-made movie - and very faithful to Robert Harris’s book. Fiennes & Tucci both extraordinary, and the music & sound design are superbly atmospheric. Loved it.

Looking forward to reading all the articles by commentators who told us last week why Trump’s tariffs were strategic genius now telling us why removing them after 5 days is ALSO the work of a genius.

What a joy to start the afternoon at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with a recital by the great Roderick Williams (& Andrew West) who gave us a gorgeous tour of Victorian (and later) orientalism ending with songs by Harry T Burleigh, the composer who introduced Dvorak to African-American music.

Pleased to be one of several hundred signatories to this important letter. Music education should be a right! edsheeranfoundation.com/protect-grow...

The last @royalbirmcons.bsky.social Yr3 Acting production of the year: a mesmerising, musically rich version of Pam Gems’ Piaf with brilliant ensemble cast. Great movement & singing, and at its centre an astonishing performance by Bella Gabor as Piaf. Great arrangements by Daniel Blanco Albert too!

Big congrats to the @BirmCons @MyBCU actors who recreated 1936 Ireland in Brian Friel’s bittersweet Dancing at Lughnasa. A superb evening. NB to @Apple: I’m sure there ARE people Dancing at Lufthansa tonight now that Heathrow is reopening, but your autocorrect read my mind incorrectly.

Apparently today is World Sparrow Day. So it’s exactly the right time to wish all the best to the cast of @royalbirmcons.bsky.social @mybcu.bsky.social production of Piaf, which opens tonight! Really looking forward to seeing this on Saturday.

An encouraging announcement today from the Department for Education. Lots of detail (including about any ££) to follow - but a good start. www.gov.uk/government/n...

@bbcradio4.bsky.social Re the Polar Music Prize: you just announced that there are three winners: Queen, Herbie Hancock & Barbara Hannigan. You then talked about, and played music by, the first two, but ignored Barbara Hannigan. Why? #r4today

✨🤩 Hear from @royalbirmcons.bsky.social's Principal, @stephenmaddock.bsky.social, as he reflects on the movers and shakers from the classical music world who were recently welcomed to RBC for the @royalphilsoc.bsky.social Awards! 🤩✨ You can read Stephen's message here: www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoir...

Hello @bristolbeacon.bsky.social! Well this is nice! My first visit since CBSO & Mirga gave the final orchestral concert in the Colston Hall in 2018.

Happy Monday everyone! www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...

Two tremendous casts, one magnificent comic opera: Britten’s Albert Herring looking and sounding absolutely brilliant last night & today with both casts of @royalbirmcons.bsky.social singers (and the superb orchestra) on top form. And all 4 performances sold out, too! @mybcu.bsky.social

What a great evening we had last night hosting the @royalphilsoc.bsky.social Awards at @royalbirmcons.bsky.social @mybcu.bsky.social So many brilliant winners and nominees, and a great Birmingham showing all round. There’s a special programme tonight on BBC Radio 3.

Very much looking forward to welcoming hundreds of movers & shakers from the classical music scene to @royalbirmcons.bsky.social tonight for the @royalphilsoc.bsky.social Awards, only the 2nd time they’ve been held outside London. Good luck to all nominees! @mybcu.bsky.social

Definitely my favourite website this week. www.tickcounter.com/countdown/16...

RBQ 2025: the Midlands team’s battle to defend our title begins this afternoon with two matches against Northern Ireland. I will be sworn to secrecy either way until the broadcasts….. @bbcradio4.bsky.social

So the reviews & word of mouth were right: Festen @royaloperahouse.bsky.social is sensationally effective and moving. I can’t remember a new opera in my decades of going that has been quite such a hit both with critics and the public. Bravi tutti especially Allan Clayton & Ed Gardner + Orchestra

Fantastic French concert this evening by @royalbirmcons.bsky.social Symphony Orchestra & Karen Ní Bhroin. A Berlioz UK premiere (sic!), Satie, Mel Bonis, La Valse & Ravel Left Hand played magnificently by RBC’s Georgian star pianist Salomé Chitaia. Tomorrow: Boulez’s Sur incises! @mybcu.bsky.social

✨🎶 Updates at the mid-point of the academic year from @royalbirmcons.bsky.social's Principal, @stephenmaddock.bsky.social! 🎶✨ You can read Stephen's message here: www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoir...

Very disappointed to discover this. I spent all day queuing up at Heartlands A & E waiting to meet Christian Bale. www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/elon-mu...