Steve Reich at 90: London Sinfonietta & Jonny Greenwood
Step into the shimmering sound-world of the architect of minimalism, US composer Steve Reich, with the London Sinfonietta.
It’s hard to resist the pull of Reich’s music: bright, propulsive rhythms that slip and shift, opening out into glowing harmony.
Just days before his 90th birthday, the London Sinfonietta and Jonny Greenwood perform works that have shaped their world.
Written especially for the ensemble, Radio Rewrite sees Reich reimagine two songs by Radiohead, refracted through his unmistakable rhythmic lens.
In Electric Counterpoint, a lone electric guitar weaves itself through a maze of pre-recorded lines, splintering and recombining in hypnotic motion.
And City Life captures the pulse of Reich’s home city, New York – a collage of street sounds, voices and machinery, alive with constant movement.
Performers
London Sinfonietta
Chloe Rooke conductor
Jonny Greenwood bass guitar, *, electric guitar, **
Students from the Royal Academy of Music
Repertoire
Steve Reich: Clapping Music; Pulse *; Radio Rewrite
Interval
Steve Reich: Electric counterpoint **; City Life
Need to know
Box package
You can buy an exclusive box package for this event. More details of our Royal Festival Hall exclusive box package.
Reviews
‘Radio Rewrite is a rich and impressive ensemble piece for non-rock instruments… with periods of shadowy ambience.’Financial Times
‘London Sinfonietta were unerringly competent, with individual colours brightening and darkening smooth and sustained ensemble work.’Bachtrack on London Sinfonietta
Times & tickets
Dates, times and prices
Dates & times
27 Sep 2026, 3.30pm
Run time
1 hour and 50 minutes (approx)
All timings are approximate and subject to change
Standard entry
from £22 + £4 booking fee
Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.
Concessions
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Refunds and exchanges
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Multi-buy Autumn/Winter 26/27 discount
3 – 4 events: 10% discount
5 – 7 events: 15% discount
8 – 10 events: 20% discount
11 – 14 events: 25% discount
15+ events: 30% discount
Discounts apply to selected events, September 2026 – January 2027 inclusive. Offer can’t be combined with the Spring/Summer 2026 multi-buy.
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For your visit
This event is held at the Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre
The Royal Festival Hall is open six days a week.
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
Monday, closed.
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The Royal Festival Hall is home to our largest auditorium as well as The Clore Ballroom, National Poetry Library, Members’ Lounge, Festival Bar & Kitchen, Ballroom Cafe and Skylon restaurant.
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Food & drink
On Level 2 of our Royal Festival Hall you can grab a slice of life by the Thames with drinks and freshly made pizza at our Festival Bar & Kitchen which opens out onto our Riverside Terrace. You can grab a coffee and a slice of freshly made cake from our Ballroom Cafe. Or alternatively enjoy destination dining in the restaurant at Skylon.
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.