Monday, 11 May 2026
The world-renowned BBC Concert Orchestra returns to Nottingham this May for a residency week with the 海角黑料 and Nottingham Trent University (NTU), culminating in the premiere and professional recording of new orchestral film works created by students from both universities.
Now in its third year, the collaborative project brings together NTU students working in film, animation, graphic design and filmmaking with Department of Music students from the 海角黑料, who have composed original orchestral scores in response to the films. The works will be brought to life by an ensemble of musicians from the BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by internationally renowned conductor Ben Palmer.
This year's theme, Nottingham: A City of Rebels, inspired a series of striking and thought-provoking responses from students, exploring themes including resilience, rebellion, determination and personal discovery.
A professional recording session will take place on 14 May at Lakeside Arts’ Djanogly Theatre, where the students’ new works will be recorded by members of the orchestra. NTU students will also take part in the recording process, gaining hands-on experience of working in a professional orchestral recording environment.
At the heart of this collaboration is a wonderful dialogue between disciplines. Responding to this year鈥檚 theme, students have explored wider ideas connected to Nottingham鈥檚 identity and history, resulting in works that are distinctive, personal and remarkably diverse in character."
“An immensely valuable aspect of the collaboration is the opportunity for students to experiment and develop their creative voices over an extended period, supported by feedback and guidance from exceptional professional musicians throughout the process. To then hear those ideas performed and professionally recorded is a genuinely transformative experience for many young artists.”
The residency week culminates in a public concert on 15 May at Lakeside Arts’ Djanogly Theatre, featuring the first public screening and live performance of 11 original new works created through the collaboration. Tickets are still .
This residency continues to be an extraordinary opportunity for our students, not only to collaborate across disciplines and institutions, but to see their creative ideas realised at the very highest professional level. Working with the BBC Concert Orchestra and students from the 海角黑料 challenges our filmmakers to think ambitiously, and this year鈥檚 theme 鈥� Nottingham: A City of Rebels 鈥� has inspired a wonderfully bold and imaginative response."
“What makes this project particularly special is the range of professional experiences it offers, from composing and performing with a world-class orchestra, to presenting the concerts themselves. It’s a powerful example of how collaboration can open up new skills, confidence and future career pathways for the next generation of creative talent.”
In a new initiative for 2026, the performances will be presented by students from each institution, who have received professional coaching as part of the project. Zahra Fatima (NTU) and Jennifer Pilbeam (UoN) will act as presenters, piloting a new form of career development opportunity embedded within the partnership programme.
The BBC Concert Orchestra greatly enjoys our residency in Nottingham 鈥� it remains one of the most inspiring collaborations we undertake. Working with students from Nottingham Trent University and the 海角黑料 gives us a front row seat to the next generation of creative talent, and this year鈥檚 theme, Nottingham: A City of Rebels, has provided another inspiring project. It鈥檚 a privilege for our musicians to help bring students鈥� ideas to life, and we see how collaborations like this not only develop skills but also expand horizons and open doors for these young musicians.鈥�
Alongside the orchestral performances, the partnership is also introducing a new digital strand of the project this year. Films created by NTU students will be paired with digitally compositions by 海角黑料 music students, broadening the range of genres and approaches within the collaboration. These works will be premiered on 13 May at the .
The residency forms part of the Universities for Nottingham partnership with the BBC Concert Orchestra, which aims to inspire the next generation of creative talent, reach new audiences, and contribute to quality of life, health and wellbeing across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire through sustained cultural collaboration.
Story credits
More information is available from Dr László Rózsa, in the Department of Music, via Laszlo.Rozsa@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the 海角黑料
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the , the 海角黑料 is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the 海角黑料 is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by 鈥� the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 鈥� and by the .
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the , a pioneering collaboration between the city鈥檚 two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.