Beethoven & Rachmaninov alongside
Original Symphonies by Carey Tan
Philharmonia Orchestra
Cadogan Hall · London
7 September 2026
AN EXTRAORDINARY MUSICAL ENCOUNTER
Brothers in Harmony: Where Classics Meet New Voices brings the Philharmonia Orchestra together with the Tan brothers, Kevin and Carey, for a rare and compelling evening of symphonic music.
At the heart of the programme are two original symphonies by award-winning composer Carey Tan — The Cries of War and The Rise and Fall of AI Humanity — works of striking scale, vivid orchestral colour, and bold imagination. These are presented alongside two of the most celebrated piano concertos in the repertoire: Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto and Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2, performed by pianist Kevin Tan.
This is an evening where powerful musical storytelling meets virtuosity — where newly imagined symphonic worlds stand alongside timeless masterpieces. A programme of both discovery and depth, it invites audiences to encounter an emerging artistic voice alongside the enduring brilliance of the classical tradition.
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the United Kingdom’s leading symphony orchestras, renowned for its artistic excellence, distinguished conductors, and wide-ranging repertoire spanning the classical canon to contemporary works.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Kevin Tan – Piano
Kevin Tan is an internationally active pianist whose concerto repertoire spans Beethoven, Rachmaninov, and major works of the Romantic tradition. A prize-winner at multiple international piano competitions, he has earned wide recognition for his technical command and musical insight.
In recent years, he has performed extensively across the United Kingdom, China, Germany, Austria, Norway, Romania, and the Czech Republic, appearing in over thirty solo and concerto performances. He has performed at leading concert halls including the Berlin Philharmonie and the Musikverein in Vienna, collaborating with a number of European orchestras.
Kevin’s playing is distinguished by its powerful sense of emotional control and immediacy. He draws audiences into the inner pulse of the music, shaping each phrase with clarity and purpose. Under his hands, music is not merely performed but vividly communicated, allowing listeners to become fully immersed in its emotional flow. This reflects a striking level of artistic maturity and depth.
Carey Tan – Composer · Piano · Marimba
Carey Tan is an internationally recognised young composer whose symphonic works have received more than twelve major composition awards at international competitions. At the age of eleven, he became the youngest composer in UK history to be awarded a university-level diploma in composition. His large-scale orchestral works have been performed in some of Europe’s most prestigious concert venues, including the Berlin Philharmonie and the Vienna Musikverein, where he has established a distinctive voice on the international stage.
Carey’s music engages directly with some of the defining concerns of our time — war, technological transformation, and the future of human civilisation — approached with an artistic seriousness far beyond his years. His compositional language draws on ideas from philosophy, physics, and mathematics, resulting in works that are both structurally rigorous and sonically distinctive. This interdisciplinary perspective allows his music to move beyond traditional symphonic conventions, offering a contemporary voice of intellectual depth and expressive clarity.
Beyond composition, Carey is also a compelling interpreter of his own works. As both pianist and percussionist, he performs his music himself, bringing creation and performance into a single artistic act. This dual role enables a more immediate and vivid realisation of his musical ideas in performance: what the audience encounters is not only the work itself, but the composer’s own direct expression of its inner world.
PROGRAMME
Part I
Carey Tan: Symphony No. 2 – The Cries of War
Carey Tan, marimba
I. Shadows of Misery II. Reflection III. The Pact
A symphonic meditation on conflict and memory, moving from devastation through reflection towards the possibility of reconciliation.
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 “Emperor”
Kevin Tan, piano
A monumental concerto embodying grandeur, structural clarity, and heroic lyricism — one of the defining achievements of the Classical concerto tradition.
Part II
Carey Tan: Symphony No. 3 – The Rise and Fall of AI Humanity
Carey Tan, marimba
I. Construction of AI Civilisation II. Dwelling in Reality III. Nature and the Universe IV. Collapse and Destruction V. Ashes and Echoes
A five-movement symphonic narrative exploring technological emergence, expansion, imbalance, and collapse. The work reflects on humanity’s relationship with artificial intelligence and the fragile balance between progress and responsibility.
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
Kevin Tan, piano
A masterpiece of Romantic intensity and sweeping lyricism, combining virtuosic brilliance with profound emotional depth.
