Gala Concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
📅 Saturday 27 September 2025
Time: 19:30
Location: White Rock Theatre, White Rock, Hastings TN34 1JX
Programme
Antonin Dvorák: Slavonic Dance Op 72 No 2
Frédéric Chopin: Piano Concerto No 1 in E minor, Op 11 (Harmony Zhu)
Sergei Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 2, Op 18 (Curtis Phill Hsu)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Scott Dunn conductor
Harmony Zhu piano
Curtis Phill Hsu piano
2024 prizewinners, Curtis Phill Hsu and Harmony Zhu return to Hastings this September for a concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Scott Dunn featuring two undisputed pillars of the Romantic piano repertoire.
Harmony Zhu, was just 18 when she won second prize in 2024 and now not only forging a career as a pianist, but also studying at Harvard. She will be soloist in Chopin’s poignant and romantic Piano Concerto No 1, written in 1830 when he was just twenty and about to leave his native Poland to live the rest of his life in exile.
First prize winner Curtis Phill Hsu is the soloist in Rachmaninov’s monumental Piano Concerto No 2. One of the best known of all concertos, the piece was a huge success when it was premiered in 1901 with Rachmaninov himself as soloist, and later became part of popular culture thanks to its use in David Lean’s 1945 film Brief Encounter and later still Eric Carmen’s 1975 hit (later covered by Celine Deon) All by Myself.
If you’ve never seen a live orchestra before, this concert is the perfect way in. And if you’re a seasoned music lover, this promises to be a highlight of the autumn season.
You may also be interested in our In Conversation event about how orchestras work, which will take place just before the concert. Find out more here.
Playlist
Whet your appetite in advance of the concert with our Spotify Playlist!
Special Offers
Our friends at Graze on Grand, a lovely seafront restaurant and wine bar in nearby St Leonards, are offering a 10% off pre-concert suppers for anyone attending the concert. Just use the code 'HIPGALA' and show your concert ticket when you pay for your meal.
If you don't live locally, you might also want to make a weekend of it and stay overnight at the seafront White Rock Hotel, right next door to the theatre, who are offering a 10% discount on bookings when you use the code 'CONCERT10' for overnight stays that weekend. You could fit in a visit to Hastings Contemporary or one of the town's other attractions, or perhaps a vineyard tour or a trip to the beach. Check out 1066 Country for inspiration!
Tickets
£23 - £41.15 including commission and restoration levy.
Tickets on sale now via the White Rock Theatre Box Office.
