Concerts with works by
Sir James MacMillan (Composer in Residence)

Overview

Quick overview of Sir James MacMillan (Composer in Residence) by associated keywords

New Arrivals

These concerts with works by Sir James MacMillan (Composer in Residence) became visible lately at Concert Pulse.

This season

In Dresden

Sir Donald with Holst

Sat, Nov 22, 2025, 19:00

Kulturpalast Dresden, Konzertsaal (Dresden)

Sir Donald Runnicles (Conductor), Philharmonischer Chor Dresden, Dresdner Philharmonie

James MacMillan is Scottish, just like our chief conductor Sir Donald Runnicles. Both have known and respected each other for many years, so it is no wonder that MacMillan dedicated one of his symphonies to his friend. This symphony, the fourth of our Composer in Residence, contains everything that defines his composing style: opulent melodies stand alongside rich soundscapes, tight marches alongside harmonies reminiscent of Bach. The listeners are not safe from apparent coincidences - perhaps not surprising, considering MacMillan is a big football fan and loves the unpredictability of the game. In addition, one of the most popular symphonic works in English music, Holst's "The Planets," will be performed - continuing our British Festival with this concert.

Info & Ticket (www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de)

This season

In Dresden

Collenbusch with Brahms

Sun, Nov 23, 2025, 15:00

Kulturpalast Dresden, Konzertsaal (Dresden)

Collenbusch Quartett (String Quartet), Cordula Fest (Violin), Christiane Liskowsky (Violin), Christina Biwank (Viola), Ulf Prelle (Cello), Christoph Berner (Piano)

British chamber music paired with a masterpiece of German Romanticism - in this concert, we bring together unjustly unknown pieces with rightfully famous ones. Brahms' Piano Quintet in F minor is part of the musical heritage, like Beethoven's symphonies, and is just as popular today as classics like the Fifth Symphony. On the other hand, Arnold Bax, the British composer born in 1883, was a star in his homeland during his lifetime but later almost fell into obscurity. He was never quite well-known here. However, he has written beautiful music! His First String Quartet is full of romantic melodies and captivates listeners immediately. Our Composer in Residence, James MacMillan, contributes another work from the island with his Second String Quartet, which even music critics rave about, describing it as a "captivating, powerful masterpiece" that captivates narratively and emotionally.

Info & Ticket (www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de)

This season

In Dresden

Saxophone!

Fri, Apr 17, 2026, 10:45

Kulturpalast Dresden, Konzertsaal (Dresden)

Paolo Bortolameolli (Conductor), Jess Gillam (Saxophon), Malte Arkona (Moderator), Michael Kube (Conception), Dresdner Philharmonie

It is rare for an instrument to bear the name of its inventor. Like the saxophone, which was first created in the early 1840s as an experiment for brass bands, but soon made the Frenchman Adolphe Sax world-famous. The success of the instrument was so great that gradually a whole family emerged: from the small sopranino (just 29 cm long) to soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone – up to the powerful bass instruments. They all share the golden yellow color of the shiny polished brass – and of course, the characteristic sound that makes the saxophone unique in jazz as well as on the concert stage. Grades 5-8

Info & Ticket (www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de)

Upcoming Concerts

Concerts in season 2024/25 or later where works by Sir James MacMillan (Composer in Residence) is performed

This season

In Dresden

Sir Donald with Holst

Sat, Nov 22, 2025, 19:00

Kulturpalast Dresden, Konzertsaal (Dresden)

Sir Donald Runnicles (Conductor), Philharmonischer Chor Dresden, Dresdner Philharmonie

James MacMillan is Scottish, just like our chief conductor Sir Donald Runnicles. Both have known and respected each other for many years, so it is no wonder that MacMillan dedicated one of his symphonies to his friend. This symphony, the fourth of our Composer in Residence, contains everything that defines his composing style: opulent melodies stand alongside rich soundscapes, tight marches alongside harmonies reminiscent of Bach. The listeners are not safe from apparent coincidences - perhaps not surprising, considering MacMillan is a big football fan and loves the unpredictability of the game. In addition, one of the most popular symphonic works in English music, Holst's "The Planets," will be performed - continuing our British Festival with this concert.

Info & Ticket (www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de)

This season

In Dresden

Collenbusch with Brahms

Sun, Nov 23, 2025, 15:00

Kulturpalast Dresden, Konzertsaal (Dresden)

Collenbusch Quartett (String Quartet), Cordula Fest (Violin), Christiane Liskowsky (Violin), Christina Biwank (Viola), Ulf Prelle (Cello), Christoph Berner (Piano)

British chamber music paired with a masterpiece of German Romanticism - in this concert, we bring together unjustly unknown pieces with rightfully famous ones. Brahms' Piano Quintet in F minor is part of the musical heritage, like Beethoven's symphonies, and is just as popular today as classics like the Fifth Symphony. On the other hand, Arnold Bax, the British composer born in 1883, was a star in his homeland during his lifetime but later almost fell into obscurity. He was never quite well-known here. However, he has written beautiful music! His First String Quartet is full of romantic melodies and captivates listeners immediately. Our Composer in Residence, James MacMillan, contributes another work from the island with his Second String Quartet, which even music critics rave about, describing it as a "captivating, powerful masterpiece" that captivates narratively and emotionally.

Info & Ticket (www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de)

This season

In Dresden

Saxophone!

Fri, Apr 17, 2026, 10:45

Kulturpalast Dresden, Konzertsaal (Dresden)

Paolo Bortolameolli (Conductor), Jess Gillam (Saxophon), Malte Arkona (Moderator), Michael Kube (Conception), Dresdner Philharmonie

It is rare for an instrument to bear the name of its inventor. Like the saxophone, which was first created in the early 1840s as an experiment for brass bands, but soon made the Frenchman Adolphe Sax world-famous. The success of the instrument was so great that gradually a whole family emerged: from the small sopranino (just 29 cm long) to soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone – up to the powerful bass instruments. They all share the golden yellow color of the shiny polished brass – and of course, the characteristic sound that makes the saxophone unique in jazz as well as on the concert stage. Grades 5-8

Info & Ticket (www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de)

This season

In Dresden

Dvořák 7

Fri, Apr 17, 2026, 19:00

Kulturpalast Dresden, Konzertsaal (Dresden)

Paolo Bortolameolli (Conductor), Jess Gillam (Saxophon), Dresdner Philharmonie

At the center of the concert evening is the brilliant Jess Gillam, one of the most exciting musicians of our time. With her soprano saxophone, she combines technical virtuosity and charismatic stage presence like rarely seen. Two works put the saxophone in the spotlight: Dave Heath's "The Celtic" and James MacMillan's Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and String Orchestra. Both works are tailor-made for Jess Gillam. Heath's "The Celtic" combines Celtic melancholy with rhythmic energy, while MacMillan's work explores the boundaries of the instrument's timbres and expressive possibilities. His most famous is certainly the Ninth, but for many, Antonín Dvořák's Seventh Symphony is his best. This music feels rugged and melancholic, yet compact and strict. There is no superfluous note here, every motif is worked through, every counterpoint has something to say. No question: this is not cozy folk music from a Bohemian village tavern, but highly concentrated symphonic music in the spirit of Beethoven and Brahms.

Info & Ticket (www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de)

This season

In Dresden

Long Night of Theater

Sat, Apr 18, 2026, 19:00

Kulturpalast Dresden, Konzertsaal (Dresden)

Paolo Bortolameolli (Conductor), Jess Gillam (Saxophon), Dresdner Philharmonie

In three short concerts, we show how versatile classical music can be. Jess Gillam takes center stage, a musician who makes the saxophone shine like no other. Her energy and enthusiasm for music are absolutely infectious - even if you are not familiar with classical concerts. The soprano saxophone that Jess Gillam plays is a rather unusual instrument in the concert hall. However, in the pieces we present to you today, she shows how diverse and moving it can sound: sometimes lyrical and gentle, sometimes full of power and tension. You will also hear excerpts from Antonín Dvořák's Seventh Symphony. This music tells of deep emotions - longing, pride, and joy. Dvořák composed it with so much heart that it is hard to resist.

Info & Ticket (www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de)

This season

In Dresden

Long Night of Theater

Sat, Apr 18, 2026, 20:00

Kulturpalast Dresden, Konzertsaal (Dresden)

Paolo Bortolameolli (Conductor), Jess Gillam (Saxophon), Dresdner Philharmonie

In three short concerts, we show how versatile classical music can be. Jess Gillam takes center stage, a musician who makes the saxophone shine like no other. Her energy and enthusiasm for music are absolutely infectious - even if you are not familiar with classical concerts. The soprano saxophone that Jess Gillam plays is a rather unusual instrument in the concert hall. However, in the pieces we present to you today, she shows how diverse and moving it can sound: sometimes lyrical and gentle, sometimes full of power and tension. You will also hear excerpts from Antonín Dvořák's Seventh Symphony. This music tells of deep emotions - longing, pride, and joy. Dvořák composed it with so much heart that it is hard to resist.

Info & Ticket (www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de)

This season

In Dresden

Long Night of Theater

Sat, Apr 18, 2026, 21:00

Kulturpalast Dresden, Konzertsaal (Dresden)

Paolo Bortolameolli (Conductor), Jess Gillam (Saxophon), Dresdner Philharmonie

In three short concerts, we show how versatile classical music can be. Jess Gillam takes center stage, a musician who makes the saxophone shine like no other. Her energy and enthusiasm for music are absolutely infectious - even if you are not familiar with classical concerts. The soprano saxophone that Jess Gillam plays is a rather unusual instrument in the concert hall. However, in the pieces we present to you today, she shows how diverse and moving it can sound: sometimes lyrical and gentle, sometimes full of power and tension. You will also hear excerpts from Antonín Dvořák's Seventh Symphony. This music tells of deep emotions - longing, pride, and joy. Dvořák composed it with so much heart that it is hard to resist.

Info & Ticket (www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de)

This season

In Dresden

Wind quintet

Sun, Apr 19, 2026, 11:00

Kulturpalast Dresden, Konzertsaal (Dresden)

Claudia Rose (Flute), Isabel Kern (Oboe), Fabian Dirr (Clarinet), Felix Amrhein (Bassoon), Sarah Ennouhi (Horn)

The wind players of the Dresden Philharmonic lead through various sound worlds: Richard Dubugnon's "Frenglish Suite" charmingly combines French elegance and British wit. Erkki-Sven Tüür's "Architectonics I," on the other hand, is a modern sound experiment - like an exciting architectural journey through music. György Orbán's Quintet impresses with rhythmic drive and Hungarian temperament, while James MacMillan's "Untold" touches with its intensity and emotionality. The conclusion is Carl Nielsen's Quintet, a masterpiece full of warmth, lightness, and typical Nordic melancholy.

Info & Ticket (www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de)

This season

In Dresden

MacMillan and Choir

Sat, May 9, 2026, 19:00

Kulturpalast Dresden, Konzertsaal (Dresden)

James MacMillan (Conductor), Philharmonischer Kinderchor Dresden, Philharmonischer Chor Dresden, und weitere Chöre, Dresdner Philharmonie

Bach - Britten - Pärt - MacMillan: On the "Day of Liberation" on May 8th, we musically bridge to Great Britain with our Philharmonic Choirs and present a program that illuminates different musical approaches to themes such as peace, remembrance, and spirituality. In his "Sinfonia da Requiem," Benjamin Britten combines liturgical elements with his personal musical language. Created against the backdrop of World War II, the composition stands as a monument and plea for peace and humanity. Arvo Pärt's "Da pacem Domine" combines meditative calmness and a clear, simple aesthetic. Pärt's minimalist musical language elevates the Latin plea for peace into a timeless, universal dimension. However, the musical core of the concert consists of two works by our Composer in Residence, who also conducts. Particularly poignant are his "Cantos Sagrados." "When composing this piece, I wanted to create something that is both timeless and contemporary, both sacred and secular," he says. The result is a moving work for choir and orchestra that is particularly touching under his direction.

Info & Ticket (www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de)

This season

In Dresden

MacMillan and choir

Sun, May 10, 2026, 11:00

Kulturpalast Dresden, Konzertsaal (Dresden)

James MacMillan (Conductor), Philharmonischer Kinderchor Dresden, Philharmonischer Chor Dresden, und weitere Chöre, Dresdner Philharmonie

Bach - Britten - Pärt - MacMillan: on the "Day of Liberation" on May 8th, we musically bridge to Great Britain with our Philharmonic Choirs and present a program that explores different musical approaches to themes such as peace, remembrance, and spirituality. In his "Sinfonia da Requiem," Benjamin Britten combines liturgical elements with his personal musical language. Created against the backdrop of World War II, the composition stands as a monument and plea for peace and humanity. Arvo Pärt's "Da pacem Domine" combines meditative calmness and a clear, simple aesthetic. Pärt's minimalist sound language elevates the Latin plea for peace into a timeless, universal dimension. However, the musical core of the concert consists of two works by our Composer in Residence, who also conducts. Particularly poignant are his "Cantos Sagrados." "When writing this piece, I wanted to compose something that is both timeless and contemporary, both sacred and secular," he says. The result is a moving work for choir and orchestra that is particularly touching under his direction.

Info & Ticket (www.dresdnerphilharmonie.de)

Concerts with works bySir James MacMillan (Composer in Residence)

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New Arrivals

Upcoming Concerts

Concerts with works by
Sir James MacMillan (Composer in Residence)