In October 2025, the Hallé presents a three-day celebration of the music of composer, conductor and creative thinker, John Adams.
Composer, conductor and creative thinker, John Adams is distinct amongst contemporary classical composers, having developed his music’s driving pulses and brilliance of sound into an expansive expressive language that is unmistakably his own.
We are thrilled to welcome John Adams back to Manchester for this exciting festival, celebrating some of his most popular music, as well as a very special UK premiere of a brand new work.
Concerts
John Adams
Hallé Presents Featured Artist 2025-26“I'm very proud of my history with the Hallé orchestra. I first conducted them in the days before The Bridgewater Hall opened. And several years later, for that celebratory opening of the Hall, Kent Nagano conducted the world premiere of Slonimsky's Earbox, which I composed for the event. I'm pleased to bring 'Slonimsky' back as well as being able to introduce other pieces of mine, both old and new, to the Hallé audiences. I'm especially looking forward to having the Hallé Choir perform my choral symphony, Harmonium, to having my longtime collaborator Leila Josefowicz play Scheherezade.2 (written for her) and to ending these concerts with the UK premiere of my most recent orchestra piece, The Rock You Stand On.”