Music lovers in London are set for a spectacular cultural highlight as BMW Classics 2026 returns to Trafalgar Square on 13 June, 2026. The world-renowned London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano, will perform an all-British programme headlined by Gustav Holst’s iconic The Planets and featuring Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations.
This free open-air concert offers a unique experience in one of London’s most famous landmarks, with audiences able to attend in person, stream the performance globally on YouTube and Facebook, or even enjoy it from selected BMW models.
In 2026 and 2027, the LSO launches an ambitious multi-platform celebration of Holst’s ‘The Planets’, with the BMW Classics concert serving as the project’s largest live performance moment. This wide-ranging initiative will unfold across the two years, bringing digital, educational, and live experiences to audiences in the UK and internationally.
The series begins in March 2026 with a new album on LSO Live, pairing Holst’s astrological suite with Arnold Bax’s ‘Tintagel’. This release marks the LSO’s fourth major recording of ‘The Planets’, following the pioneering acoustic and electronic recordings conducted by Holst himself in the 1920s, and the acclaimed later versions led by André Previn and Sir Colin Davis. At BMW Classics on 13 June, audiences in Trafalgar Square and online will hear selected movements – Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Uranus.The LSO’s next live exploration of ‘The Planets’ takes place in January 2027 with two Barbican performances of Symphonic Cinema, created by Dutch film director Lucas van Woerkum. In these concerts, his film ‘Loss’ – featuring Emma Thompson and Greg Wise, and portraying a soul’s farewell to earthly life – is synchronised with a live performance of Holst’s score.
At the centre of this year’s Trafalgar Square concert is the world premiere of a new work by Louise Drewett titled‘Four Dances’, which has been specially commissioned for BMW Classics. Written for a mixed-ability orchestra, the piece brings together LSO musicians, Guildhall School students, and 55 young musicians from East London participating through the LSO Discovery programmes. Each section is a distinct dance and each flows seamlessly into the next. The dances celebrate London itself and depict four striking public spaces.
From start to finish, travelling downriver, these are The Queen’s Walk near London Bridge, Columbia Wharf in Rotherhithe, South Dock on the Isle of Dogs, and Greenwich Pier in Maritime Greenwich. These places are not far apart yet, as so often in London, evoke vastly different moods, from busy urban environments to tranquil, reflective landscapes.
For the finale, the Orchestra performs excerpts from Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations. The LSO has held a profound connection with Elgar since its foundation in 1904, when the composer conducted the Orchestra during its inaugural season. Its first Principal Conductor, Hans Richter, was also a leading champion of Elgar’s music in Britain and abroad.
The 2026 programme reflects the LSO and BMW’s shared commitment to supporting ambitious, forward-looking cultural projects. As the LSO embarks on its multi-year exploration of Holst’s The Planets, BMW Classics serves as the flagship live moment, bringing a major orchestral work into a fully public space – free, open, and accessible to all. The world premiere of Four Dances further underlines the shared mission of BMW and the LSO to foster young talent and expand musical participation across generations.
For the streaming into select BMW models the content is made available via the Video App (DTS AutoStage Video Service Powered by TiVo™) in the latest infotainment systems of BMW and MINI*. The Video App brings together a wealth of video content from a wide range of providers, including news and live or on-demand shows. A number of streaming services are available internationally, including Disney+, YouTube, Joyn, Bloomberg, TED, ARTE and Plex. These are accompanied by market-specific streaming services.
For audiences around the world, the concert will be live streamed on the London Symphony Orchestra’s YouTube channel here.
BMW Classics performed by the London Symphony Orchestra with Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano on Saturday 13 June at 4.00pm in Trafalgar Square, London. Find more information here.
