The Oxford Beethoven Festival opens on 21 January 2027 at the Sheldonian. One Martha Argerich concert has sold out, and the programme runs to December 2027.

The Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra is giving a major part of its 2027 to Beethoven, 200 years after his death. Its Oxford Beethoven Festival opens at the Sheldonian Theatre on 21 January, and the concerts are now listed on the orchestra’s website.

The biggest names come in the first half of the year. Martha Argerich and Maxim Vengerov both play in February, and Sir Bryn Terfel sings the Choral Symphony in May.

One date has already gone. The orchestra says Argerich’s Ravel concerts, at the Sheldonian on 12 February and the Barbican on 14 February, have both sold out.

The dates to know

Date Concert Where in Oxford
21 January Eroica Symphony, with Marios Papadopoulos as conductor and pianist Sheldonian Theatre
5 February Pastoral Symphony Sheldonian Theatre
5 to 7 February Sounding Beethoven weekend of talks, discussions and concerts Includes the Holywell Music Room and the Bate Collection
9 February Martha Argerich and Maxim Vengerov, violin sonatas Olivier Hall, St Edward’s School
13 February Maxim Vengerov plays the Violin Concerto Olivier Hall, St Edward’s School
24 April Richard Goode, last three piano sonatas Holywell Music Room
6 May Choral Symphony, with Sir Bryn Terfel Sheldonian Theatre
8 October Fifth Symphony, with Pierre-Laurent Aimard playing Brahms Sheldonian Theatre
12 November Takács Quartet Olivier Hall, St Edward’s School
26 November Emperor Concerto Sheldonian Theatre

The listings also carry piano recitals at the Holywell Music Room through the year, and the last listed recital is Kristian Bezuidenhout on 9 December 2027. The orchestra takes the Choral Symphony to Carnegie Hall in New York after the Oxford performance.

What it means for you

Check the individual concert page before you plan around a price, as the bands differ:

  • Eroica Symphony: the page shows prices from £18 to £58
  • Argerich and Vengerov: from £20 to £65
  • Richard Goode: £32
  • Takács Quartet: from £15 to £32

The Eroica page also lists student tickets from £5.

The box office is on 01865 980 980. With the Argerich concert gone, the other February dates are the ones to look at first.