Gershwin and Bernstein Bring Broadway Jazz to the Sheldonian

By Alyssa | WhatsOn local events writer Alyssa picks out timely events, local favourites and useful places to eat, stay and explore.

Gershwin and Bernstein with Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra delivers a showstopping symphonic finale to the orchestra's season, transforming Christopher Wren's 17th-century ceremonial hall into an amphitheatre of golden-age American sound. Music Director Marios Papadopoulos conducts from the keyboard for George Gershwin's electrifying Rhapsody in Blue, anchored by Aaron Copland's stirring Fanfare for the Common Man and vibrant vocal selections from Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story and Candide. Pairing two towering titans of 20th-century orchestral composition inside one of Britain's most storied acoustic chambers makes this single-night engagement a standout cultural event on Oxford's summer calendar.

Symphonic Swank, Brash Brass, and Broadway Echoes

The acoustic personality of this programme is all about vivid contrasts. Rather than the hushed solemnity of standard chamber recitals, the auditorium vibrates with the swagger of mid-century Manhattan. Copland's brass fanfares unleash a crisp, metallic brilliance against the Sheldonian's timber cupola, punctuated by the resonant thud of orchestral timpani. When Papadopoulos strikes the piano keys for Rhapsody in Blue, the clarinet's famed opening glissando slides upward with sultry abandon, giving way to syncopated stride rhythms and lush romantic sweeps that echo across the tiered wood galleries. Vocalists Aliki Chrysochou and Robin Bailey bring theatre-grade warmth and emotional nuance to Bernstein's soaring love themes, backed by the massed power of the Oxford Philharmonic Choir, sending shivers straight through the stalls.

An Audience Gathered Beneath Streater's Painted Ceiling

Stepping through the heavy oak doors brings you into an audience where generations of music lovers mingle seamlessly. Lifelong university patrons and discerning classical subscription holders sit shoulder-to-shoulder with students, visiting tourists, and ardent musical theatre devotees who travelled in specifically for Bernstein's dramatic repertoire. Gazing upward at Robert Streater's vast painted allegorical ceiling while waiting for the downbeat, there is a tangible buzz of shared celebration in the air. The applause here feels intimate yet grand, with the semicircular layout ensuring that performer and listener share an immediate, enveloping kinship rarely found in modern rectangular concert halls.

Know Before You Go

• Secure your seats well in advance via the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra box office; lower gallery and semi-circle tier seats sell out first due to unobstructed sightlines.
• Arrive at least 30 minutes before the 19:30 start to navigate the stone perimeter steps, clear ticket checks, and locate your bench or gallery position without rushing.
• Be mindful of the seating comfort: the Sheldonian's historical wooden benches in the upper galleries can feel firm over a two-hour programme, so bringing a discreet cushion or jumper to sit on is a seasoned local habit.
• Opt for public transport or city park-and-ride facilities rather than driving; Broad Street is pedestrianised and strictly closed to private vehicle parking.
• Student tickets are often available from £5 in designated tiers, making this an accessible evening for younger concertgoers with valid ID.

Make a Weekend of It

To turn this concert evening into an unforgettable city break, anchor your plans around the surrounding historic core. Start your afternoon right next door exploring the world-famous Bodleian Library, ducking into the Divinity School to marvel at its vaulted stone ceiling before strolling through the grounds of the University of Oxford.

For art lovers, a short wander towards Beaumont Street brings you to the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, where you can lose an hour among classical antiquities and Renaissance drawings. Before the music begins, settle in for a relaxed pre-concert dinner nearby. You can savour crisp French classics at Côte Brasserie along George Street, or pop down the cobbled alley of Friars Entry for wood-fired sourdough pizza and local pints at The White Rabbit.

When the final ovation subsides, retreat to the boutique luxury of the Old Bank Hotel along the High Street, surrounded by curated 20th-century art, or cross towards the landmark Victorian Gothic elegance of The Randolph Hotel Oxford, a Graduate by Hilton. Either provides the quintessential Oxford backdrop to debrief an extraordinary night of live music.

Enjoy the show and your time around Oxford, from Alyssa at What's On Oxford.