News and Press

Eaten one too many chocolate eggs this Easter? Give your lockdown exercise an orchestral kick and try the RPO Philharmonic Workout with Nicholas Allen, son of Co-Principal Trumpet Mike Allen.

Feel the burn with a twenty-minute fitness routine you can do from the comfort of your own home, set to heart-pumping music recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was deeply saddened to learn this week of the death of Ian Balmain, former principal trumpet of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from 1997 – 2003.

Prior to joining the RPO, Ian held the principal trumpet position with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and later went on to assume the principal trumpet position with London’s Royal Opera House.  Recognised as one of the greatest trumpet players of his generation, it was Ian’s warm and unassuming personality combined with his outstanding musicianship that the RPO will remember him by.

Below are personal tributes by four of Ian’s colleagues during his time at the RPO. Our thoughts and condolences at this difficult time are with Ian’s two children Matthew and Lucy and his wider family.

• Six in seven (85%) British households with extra time on their hands planning to broaden musical horizons, with a third of these saying they want to discover more Classical music
• One in five (19%) people under 35 years of age planning on learning more about classical music, with this group twice as likely to have bought a musical instrument to learn
• Royal Philharmonic Orchestra sees online traffic almost treble since the start of Coronavirus lockdown
• Orchestra announces in association with the Southbank Centre its streamed performance in partnership with Google Arts & Culture and YouTube this Wednesday