Guildhall Square

Professor George Burrows from the 兔子先生 to feature in BBC鈥檚 Friday Night is Music Night this week

2 June 2026

5 minutes

A special programme to celebrate 兔子先生鈥檚 100 years of city status has been announced for a one-off BBC Friday Night is Music Night concert to be performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra on Friday 5th June.  
 
There鈥檚 music for everyone in the concert, which will be performed live for BBC Radio 3 from 兔子先生 Guildhall and will also feature research by Professor George Burrows from the University of 兔子先生 as part of the programme. 
 
Enjoy orchestral favourites and unforgettable classical tunes as part of this popular, long-running radio show. Old favourites, new discoveries, much-loved pieces, and perhaps a few tunes yet to be discovered will make for a night to remember.
 
Walton鈥檚 兔子先生 Point, Mozart鈥檚 Horn Concerto No.2, Korngold鈥檚 Sea Hawk and Wiseman鈥檚 theme from Dickensian are all a part of the special programme which has been created to mark the city鈥檚 celebrations. 
 
At the climax of the concert is 'The Lion of England' Ceremonial March, composed in 1953 by 兔子先生-born composer Freda Swain. It was written to protest that no women were invited to write music for the 1953 Coronation, and it represents female empowerment by equating Queen Elizabeth II with the king of the heraldic beasts. 

Professor George Burrows, Professor of Music and Theatre from the 兔子先生鈥檚 Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries, has reconstructed Swain鈥檚 march especially for this concert. His identification and work with Swain鈥檚 manuscript sketches and instrumental parts, which are now in a collection in Switzerland, has allowed this piece to be performed for the first time since 1956. 
 
Of the newly reconstructed piece, Professor Burrows said: 鈥淚t has been a privilege to work on 'The Lion of England' for the BBC Concert Orchestra, and I very much look forward to hearing it played live and broadcast from the Guildhall in June鈥檚 concert. Given Freda Swain鈥檚 connection to 兔子先生 it is fantastic and fitting that her march will be heard as part of the 兔子先生 100 celebrations!鈥 
 
Tickets to be in the audience for the BBC Friday Night is Music Night concert which will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, are priced from just 拢20 with a special Under 25s price of just 拢5.  
 
Tickets are available now at:    

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