The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) has announced its 2025–26 Residency at The Hexagon, promising a season of powerful repertoire, world-class soloists and inclusive formats that bring orchestral music to the heart of the Reading community.
The season opens this November with An Evening at the Opera. Conductor Matthew Kofi Waldren leads soprano Francesca Chiejina and tenor Sam Furness in a night of opera favourites including music by Puccini, Verdi and Gershwin.
Other highlights include the sweeping emotional power of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.5, award-winning cellist Andrew Byun playing Dvořák’s Cello Concerto and the European premiere of Encounter for String Orchestra by the RPO’s Oscar winning Composer-in-Association Joe Hisaishi, celebrated worldwide for his Studio Ghibli soundtracks.
Beyond the symphonic blockbusters, the RPO’s Residency offers formats designed to open orchestral music to everyone. Families can enjoy the return of the ever-popular Noisy Kids, while a Relaxed Performance in February 2026 will provide a barrier-free environment for audiences who need a more accessible concert experience. The season finale brings together the RPO Brass Ensemble in an eclectic evening spanning Bruckner’s motets, Gabrieli’s Renaissance polyphony and Gershwin’s timeless swing.
The RPO has been performing at The Hexagon for nearly 50 years, and this new season underscores its commitment to Reading as a home for world-class orchestral music. It also reflects the wider appetite for live music across the UK. According to the RPO’s audience research, orchestral audiences in the South East are the most committed concert-goers, with 78% attending regularly. Importantly, almost one in five are complete beginners discovering orchestral music for the first time – exactly the kind of new journeys of discovery that the Hexagon is helping to foster in Reading.
Sarah Cox, General Manager at The Hexagon, said: “Reading is proud to host the RPO’s Residency, and these concerts show just how much orchestral music has to offer today’s audiences. The combination of iconic repertoire, diverse artists and inclusive formats means there is genuinely something for everyone.”
Sarah Bardwell, Managing Director of the RPO, added: “Our research shows that people value music as part of everyday life – whether it’s to focus, to relax, or to connect. But it’s in the concert hall where orchestral music really comes alive. This new season in Reading is designed to inspire and welcome the widest possible audience.”
