Thoroughly Good

215: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic CEO Vanessa Reed Thirty minutes with one of the loveliest leaders in the classical music industry.

Listen: lnk.to/pjLyfO

@liverpoolphil.bsky.social CEO Vanessa Reed: “Liverpool feels like home, even when you’re from Devon.”

Four months into her role, Vanessa talks proudly of the arts organisation's roots, its reach, and its potential in the latest episode.

To the best of my knowledge there aren’t ANY classical music podcasts that require a PhD to listen to them.

Review - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Timothy Ridout premiere Mark Simon’s ‘Hold Your Heart in Your Teeth’ From whispered strings to bone-shaking organ, RLPO’s season opener turned sound into spectacle. This was a night of courage, surprise and orchestral force.

blog.thoroughlygood.me/2025/09/27/r...

From whispered strings to a bone-shaking organ, @liverpoolphil.bsky.social’s season opener last week turned sound into spectacle. A night with a symphonic anthem for courage, colourful surprises and old-school orchestral power.

There seems to be a good deal more blue flags in the arena than anything else. Which is nice. #bbcproms #lnop

Skye Boat Song. Much safer waters. #bbcproms #lnop #BBCProms

Sorry. I’ll be nicer.

Bill Bailey is no typist. Pick a beat. Any beat. #bbcproms #lnop

The Bernstein is fun but it feels flabby. #bbcproms #lnop

Presenter: “We were just saying it was the greatest thing we’d ever seen.” 🙄

#bbcproms #lnop

Bohemian Rhapsody. Lovely execution. Crossover territory. An odd gear shift. #bbcproms #lnop

“No can expect what’s coming in the second half.” We can. It was in a press release on Thursday night. #bbcproms #lnop

An hour and a half is quite a long first half. I’d have been taking two large Merlots in with me. #bbcproms #lnop

Louise Alder lights up the screen. #bbcproms #lnop

“It’s very accessible.” What a way to kill a premiere before it’s got underway. #bbcproms #lnop

For accuracy, the reference originated from backstage. 😉 x

That’s not together. And that’s not good. And it’s also not difficult. #bbcproms

“Superstar conductor.” 🙄 #bbcproms

🙃

Hello. I’m a bit confused. I’m not sure I’ve ever shared this! 🙃

NYO playing #StarWars at #bbcproms. Strings are sounding divine. The brass fierce. Brilliant stuff.

I have decided this evening that I find Artuto Márquez’s Concierto de otoño way too similar to Danzon No. 2. And that maybe he’s just a bit of a one trick pony. That said, I’m yet to hear the second movement.

Scenws from Ivybridge, listening to tonight’s #bbcproms concert. The Devonshire countryside has really delivered tonight.

Holiday reading.

There appears to have been an unexpected weather event in the Royal Albert Hall.

Taking a small break from the #BBCProms today. Catching up tomorrow. A week stuffed full of listening and scribbling has been a little more tiring than I thought.

Review - BBC Proms 2025: Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique - Tuesday 22 July 2025 Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique as the original fever dream, and before that, an opportunity to bear witness in the world premiere of Mark Simpson's ZEBRA written for Sean Shibe.

Mark Simpson's ZEBRA at #BBCProms. Loved it. blog.thoroughlygood.me/2025/07/22/b...

Brutal words from Michael Henderson about backstage at the First Night in the Spectator. Not entirely undeserved. Even so, makes me feel like a saint in comparison.

There’s enthusiasm and there’s hyperbole. #bbcproms