Fantasia Orchestra, the dynamic and versatile ensemble of some of the UK’s most promising musicians, will make its debut performance at Smith Square Hall on Sunday 23 November with Birdsong, a specially-curated programme inspired by the beauty of nature and of avian song. The landmark concert also marks the beginning of a four-performance residency at the historic 18th century Westminster venue.
Renowned soprano and close friend of the orchestra Lucy Crowe OBE joins Fantasia under the stewardship of conductor and founder Tom Fetherstonhaugh. Together they trace birdsong in music across the ages – from Handel’s doves and Haydn’s hen to the kaleidoscopic colours of Messiaen, Berg’s exquisite The Nightingale and the jazz-infused lyricism of Gershwin. Sherwin’s timeless A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square and Kosma’s evocative Autumn Leaves add to a programme that soars through centuries of repertoire, blending elegance, modernism, and jazz-tinged warmth.
This concert promises to be a celebration of voice, nature and musical storytelling, and an opportunity to hear one of the UK’s finest sopranos in a performance that takes flight in every sense and sees her collaborating with one of the country’s most genre-defying orchestras.
The full programme includes:
Vivaldi Spring from Four Seasons: Allegro
Handel As When the Dove Laments Her Love
Price Little Pastorale
Trad. She’s Like the Swallow
Mozart Dove Sono from The Marriage of Figaro
Blasio Kavuma I am the sea (London premiere)
Messiaen The Lovebird of the Star from Harawi
Strauss Spring from Four Last Songs
Interval
Haydn Symphony no. 83 ‘The Hen’
Berg The Nightingale from Seven Early Songs
Sherwin A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
Gershwin Little Jazz Bird
Kosma Autumn Leaves
Arrangements by Harry Baker and James Ledger.
Over the past decade, Fantasia has developed a reputation for its imaginative programming, collaborative spirit, and top-level players drawn from across the UK. The new season takes that ethos even further.
Tom Fetherstonhaugh, Artistic Director, said: “Launching our residency at Smith Square Hall with Lucy Crowe OBE feels incredibly special. Her versatility and expressive power perfectly capture what Fantasia Orchestra is about; bringing together music from different periods and styles in a spirit of collaboration, joy and imagination. Birds and their song have always inspired composers, and this programme is our chance to let that inspiration take flight.”
Michael Garvey, Executive Director, added: “Fantasia Orchestra’s Smith Square Hall residency is all about concerts that surprise and connect with a wide range of people. Each programme is completely unique, built around the personalities of our soloists and the diverse breadth of music they love. With Lucy Crowe at the centre of this opening night on 23 November, audiences can expect a dazzling evening of artistry and discovery.”
The first of the orchestra’s Smith Square Hall concerts launches their 2025–26 season – a year that marks the beginning of a bold new artistic chapter. The season features new creative partnerships, genre-crossing repertoire and high-profile collaborations.
Fantasia made their acclaimed debut at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall last year, alongside soloists and longstanding friends Sheku and Braimah Kanneh-Mason and Plínio Fernandes and this won them a host of new admirers as they brought their trademark energy and vibrancy to the famous festival. Their repertoire included music by musicians as diverse as Bartók, Brahms, Dvorak, Laura Mvula, Piazzolla, and Nile Rodgers and Chic.
Under the direction of conductor and founder Tom Fetherstonhaugh, the orchestra is now building on the success of the BBC Proms with a season featuring hand-curated programmes. Each concert is shaped by Tom’s personal musical connections, friendships, and artistic vision.
Fantasia Orchestra’s full season details, including tickets and project announcements, will be shared at fantasiaorchestra.com and on social media @fantasiaorchestra.