Join cultural historian Gavin Plumley and the Philharmonia on a journey around Germany and discover the sights and sounds of the Weimar Republic in the first of a series of six films. Following World War I, Germany was in tatters. What emerged from the ashes was a new republic, founded in Weimar with the aim for a more progressive, modern Germany. These six films form the introduction to the Philharmonia’s concert series Weimar Berlin: Bittersweet Metropolis.

“He was born into the wrong time” The greatest composer you’ve never heard of: our Principal Guest Conductor Jakub Hrůša guides you through the inspiring musical life and heartbreaking story, of Miloslav Kabeláč. Explore his revelatory music on 22 November, when we follow The Mystery of Time with Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances and Shostakovich’s Second Piano Concerto: https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/2120/jakub_hrusa_dvorak_and_shostakovich

“It doesn’t belong just to the Chinese, it’s kind of a present for all the people.” Go beyond Western traditions and discover the ancient Chinese sheng, as acclaimed artist Wu Wei reveals his instrument's secrets in conversation with bassist Mike Fuller in our brand new film. Hear Wu Wei perform live with us on 5 April, in a concert showcasing the sheng's full musical range: https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/2160/music_of_today_wu_wei_artist_portrait

“Just be there and Bruckner takes care of you” Esa-Pekka Salonen introduces his love of Bruckner’s music ahead of our 2018/19 London Season opening concerts. Hear him conducts Bruckner’s Sixth (27 Sep) and Seventh (30 Sep) symphonies live at Southbank Centre: https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/1819opening

"The link is Wagner, tying everything together." Esa-Pekka Salonen introduces his programmes - of Bruckner, Schoenberg & Wagner - to open our 2018/19 London Season at Southbank Centre on 27 and 30 September 2018: https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/1819opening

In this film, Nigel Woodhouse introduces the banjo. The banjo is a rare visitor to the orchestra, but has been used by composers in the 20th century onward to evoke American folk music and jazz especially. All of our instrument films: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqR22EoucCyccs5J639SCefaM7mD9dMSz

“Bright and vibrant and energetic – exactly how I planned it.” – Hannah Kendall, composer British composer Hannah Kendall on her music, her love of teaching, and on growing up in London – what inspires and drives her as an artist. Following our world premiere of her new piece, Baptistry, in May, we’re looking forward to performing it again at the Three Choirs Festival in July: https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/2238/hereford/hereford_cathedral/29_july_2018/three_choirs_festival_the_pl

In this film, Nigel Woodhouse introduces the mandolin. The mandolin has been used by many composers across the centuries to give special colour to the orchestra, often evoking folk music.  Learn all about the instruments of the orchestra in our Instruments playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqR22EoucCyccs5J639SCefaM7mD9dMSz

"You expect Frank Sinatra to sing this sort of music, these sorts of harmony changes. But it’s a Prokofiev Violin Concerto." - violinist Pekka Kuusisto on Prokofiev's First Violin Concerto Pekka Kuusisto takes a very personal look at Prokofiev's light-filled First Violin Concerto, which he performs with the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy in May 2018: https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/series/68/voices_of_revolution_russia_1917

“Strauss can be conducted by an orangutan and it still sounds pretty nice. Mahler... not so.” Esa-Pekka Salonen reveals why so many conductors fall in love with Mahler’s enigmatic music. Join us as he brings to life the raucous First Symphony in Leicester, Basingstoke and London next week: https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/soloist/63/fray__david

“There is no boundary or difference: even different skin, different religion or different culture – we are all children of the stars.” Music to expand your horizons: mystical, echoing, otherworldly, Unsuk Chin’s The Song of the Children of the Stars sets 13 poems spanning centuries and continents, contemplating our place in the universe. Hear her introduce her music in conversation with Jonathan Cross, ahead of our European premiere on 15 April: http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/1754

“It’s a wild piece by a wild young man, and should not be treated with any kind of reverence” – Esa-Pekka Salonen shares his thoughts on how provocation turns to nostalgia in Mahler’s First Symphony. Join us in April for a world of klezmer, Austrian countryside and even Frère Jacques – “with a few kicks here and there”: http://bit.ly/2tjbZRe

In this film, Philharmonia Orchestra Principal Trombone, Byron Fulcher, introduces the euphonium, an instrument that is an occasional visitor to the orchestra. Learn all about the instruments of the orchestra in our Instruments playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqR22EoucCyccs5J639SCefaM7mD9dMSz

"Everyone can find a link to Mahler’s music" Hear that unique human connection in his Fifth Symphony, live in concert with our Principal Guest Conductor Jakub Hrůša: http://bit.ly/2CQ7oGv

"What is an orchestra for, in our world as it is today?" Find out, in our new season - on sale now: philharmonia.co.uk/london1819 (Soundtrack: Ottorino Respighi, Pines of the Villa Borghese from Pines of Rome. Hear it in concert on 28 Feb 2019: philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/seasons/74/1819_london_season)

Love of nature, a strong civil society, great coffee... What defines Finland today as the country turns 100? Philharmonia Orchestra Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor, Esa-Pekka Salonen, reflects on why it is refreshing to come home regularly to Finland after living abroad for over 30 years. Filmed on location in Finland in the summer of 2017. Finland turns 100 on 6 December 2017.

Art and music were central to the development of Finnish national identity and helped to bring together different cultures under a single Finnish flag. Philharmonia Orchestra Principal Conductor & Esa-Pekka Salonen shares composer Jean Sibelius's role in Finnish nation building in this film shot on location in Finland in the summer of 2017.

It was a fateful September in 1983 when Esa-Pekka Salonen received a call from his agent saying the Philharmonia Orchestra needed someone to replace conductor Michael Tilson Thomas at the last minute, performing Mahler's Third Symphony in London. He said yes and the rest is history. Hear the story from the Philharmonia's now Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor, Esa-Pekka Salonen, himself.

Icelandic composer, Daníel Bjarnason, has written a violin concerto for the Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto. In this film, the Philharmonia Orchestra met Pekka in Finland to get his thoughts on the new piece. The concerto is full of special violin techniques and pushes technical boundaries for the soloist and the orchestra. Watch to find out more and hear clips with the Pekka and the Philharmonia in rehearsal with Esa-Pekka Salonen. FIND OUT MORE: https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/1712

On Thurs 28 Sept 2017, violinist Pekka Kuusisto joins Finnish folk singer, Ilona Korhonen, to present a unique, modern perspective on runo-song, an ancient storytelling tradition from Finland. The Philharmonia Orchestra’s Digital team travelled to Finland to get a preview of what to expect. Ilona sings a story about the origins of the kantele, a traditional Finnish stringed instrument often used to accompany runo-song.

In the summer of 2017, the Philharmonia Orchestra embarked on a new creative partnership to span five years with Garsington Opera. In this first season the Philharmonia performed Debussy’s only opera, Pelléas et Mélisande, conducted by Jac van Steen. Philharmonia Principal Harp, Heidi Krutzen, gives us an introduction to Garsington and the beautiful Wormsley Estate where the opera festival is located. In 2018, the Orchestra performs Verdi’s Falstaff.http://garsingtonopera.org

Symphonize Kingston is a collaboration between Kingston Music Service and the Philharmonia Orchestra bringing together skilled urban and classical musicians to deliver intensive, skills-enhancing creative activities to young people in Kingston, tapping into their passion for popular music and technology whilst offering an opportunity to explore different musical styles and approaches. Led by Jason Rowland, young people from Anstee Bridge and Malden Oaks PRU have worked creatively with dub...

“Of all the string instruments, I guess it’s the greatest compromise…it shouldn’t really exist” – watch Lawrence Power, one of the world's leading violists, reveal the secrets of the viola in our brand new film. Lawrence Power performs Esa-Pekka Salonen's Pentatonic Étude for solo viola ahead of the Bartók Viola Concerto with the Philharmonia Orchestra on Thursday 1 June 2017 at Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre. Tickets are still available. Gustavo Gimeno conducts, with Mahler Symphony...

"I would do this every day if I could." Symphonize is a pioneering creative partnership between Leicester-based Soft Touch Arts and the Philharmonia Orchestra, resident at De Montfort Hall, Leicester. After the rousing success of a pilot project in 2015 and a number of taster sessions, young people from The Lancaster School and Fullhurst Community College have worked creatively with producers from Soft Touch Arts and players from the Philharmonia to compose, produce, and perform their own...

British composer, Tansy Davies, has been commissioned by Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra to compose a concerto for four horns, to premiere as part of the Philharmonia's "Inspirations" series in late February 2017. We travelled with Tansy to Bedgebury Pinetum in Kent, one of the locations that inspired her new concerto, "Forest". "Forest" explores how we, as humans, can search for a dialogue with nature as we move further and further apart in our modern world. Using the theme...