BrightSparks – GCSE concert 2026

Ticket applications are now open for our GCSE BrightSparks concert!

Do you know the difference between pizzicato, ostinato and legato? Can you spot a leitmotif? Do you know a clarinet from a cor anglais?

To find out, join the London Philharmonic Orchestra for our GCSE BrightSparks concert on Thursday 12 November at the Royal Festival Hall, where we will explore a wide array of music from the Baroque period all the way to modern-day music for stage and screen.

The concert is conducted by Michael Seal and presented by Rachel Leach, who will guide the audience through detailed musical analysis, with quizzes interspersed throughout. Through this, students will sharpen their listening skills and put their learning into practice while experiencing the impact of hearing the London Philharmonic Orchestra performing live.

The programme includes the ever-popular ‘Badinerie’ by J.S. Bach (Eduqas set work), Beethoven Symphony no.1, 1^st movement (AQA set work), and Schwartz ‘Defying Gravity’ (Edexcel set work), plus other music for stage and screen (all boards), and surprise pieces – there may even be an element of Concerto (OCR)…

With a broad range of music included, this concert is also suitable for Year 9 students considering starting Music GCSE next year.

Tickets are £3 for students, free for accompanying adults, and include free resources for teachers.

Can’t wait til the concert? Check out some of our GCSE learning resources. Visit our Learning Resources page and select “Schools–secondary” to access a wealth of free online learning resources to support GCSE music.