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Harrison Birtwistle wearing a white shirt and round orange glasses.
View all events for category: Classical music

Time Entwined: Birtwistle, Gerber & Mason

Thu 11 Jun 2026, 7.30pm

The London Sinfonietta shines a light on new voices and pioneering classics, blurring the lines between performer and audience – and you can be part of it.

In celebration of the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary, the orchestra performs this piece to weave together its past, present and future in the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Christian Mason’s In Time Entwined, In Space Enlaced, originally commissioned for the London Sinfonietta’s 40th birthday, invites 36 harmonica players from the audience to contribute to an ethereal soundscape, merging seamlessly with the onstage ensemble.

This collaborative spirit continues with a powerful new commission from James B. Wilson, written for young musicians from the North London Music Hub, who perform side-by-side with London Sinfonietta players.

The second half features Sir Harrison Birtwistle’s Secret Theatre, a bold, theatrical work that transforms instruments into characters and sound into architecture. First performed by the ensemble in the Queen Elizabeth Hall in 1984, it remains a striking exploration of structure and drama.

Performers

London Sinfonietta

Geoffrey Paterson conductor

Mark van de Wiel clarinet

Students from the Royal College of Music

Young Musicians from the North London Music Hub

Repertoire

Gerber: Duet for clarinet

Florence Anna Maunders: Duet for 6 instruments (World premiere)

Christian Mason: In time entwined, in space enlaced for ensemble & 36 audience harmonicas

James B Wilson: These sounds don't belong here (World premiere)

Interval

Birtwistle: Secret Theatre

Need to know

Age guidance
For ages 7+. Under 12s must be accompanied by an adult on our site.
Event information

Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer at 6.30pm: pre-concert talk with conductor Geoffrey Paterson, composers Florence Anna Maunders and Christian Mason, and the London Sinfonietta’s Chief Executive and Artistic Director, Andrew Burke. Admission free.

Reviews

4 out of 5 stars
‘A poignant occasion that showcased both the excoriating power and tranquillity of Birtwistle’s music.’
The Guardian

 

‘The London Sinfonietta’s performance testified to the fact that the players thoroughly understand Birtwistle’s art.’Bachtrack

Times & tickets

Dates, times and prices

Dates & times

11 Jun 2026, 7.30pm

Run time

1 hour and 50 minutes (approx)

All timings are approximate and subject to change

Standard entry

from £13 + £4 booking fee

Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.

Concessions

Learn more about concession discounts

Refunds and exchanges

Find out more about our refund and exchange policy

Multi-buy Spring/Summer 2026 discount

As part of our classical music multi-buy offer, book multiple Spring/Summer 2026 concerts in the same transaction to receive a 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, February 2026 – June 2026 inclusive. Offer can’t be combined with the Autumn/Winter 2025/26 multi-buy.

View all events in this multi-buy offer

For your visit

This event is held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Southbank Centre

The Queen Elizabeth Hall is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.