Introduction

Under the leadership of Music Director Alexandre Bloch, the Orchestre National de Lille will undertake a five-date tour of the UK, presenting a programme mainly of world-renowned masterpieces from Ravel and Debussy; the quintessence of French flair! At the heart of the programme will be a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven, here with his Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, performed by rising star pianist Eric Lu.

This tour also marks a significant event for the orchestra. It will be Alexandre’s first tour with the Orchestre National de Lille, and a homecoming for the maestro who was appointed Assistant Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra after winning First Prize at the Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition in October 2012.

The Orchestre National de Lille is a leading cultural body in the Hauts-de-France region and in France as a whole. This tour will further develop the business and cultural links between the region and the United Kingdom, evolved out of a long and shared history.