After Dark: 200 Years of ZSL Wednesday 15 April 2026 | 9.30pm | Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer In collaboration with international conservation charity ZSL
Welcome from LPO Artistic Director Jesús Herrera and ZSL Council Chair Professor Sir Jim Smith FRS
Trumpets
Trombones
Tuba
Chair supported by the Williams family in memory of Grenville Williams
Chair supported by William & Alex de Winton
Chair supported by William & Alex de Winton
Paul Beniston
Tom Nielsen Anne McAneney David Hilton
Mark Templeton
Jamie Tweed David Whitehouse Lyndon Meredith
Horn
John Ryan
William Walton (1902–83) Roaring Fanfare (1’) British composer William Walton had a real flair for ceremonial music – his best-known works include Crown Imperial (performed at the Coronation of King George VI in 1937) and Orb and Sceptre (composed for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953). His Roaring Fanfare is another perfect example. It was first heard on 3 June 1976 at London Zoo in Regent’s Park, performed by players from the Royal Military School of Music. The occasion was a reception marking the 150th anniversary of ZSL (Zoological Society of London), with the fanfare written to accompany the entrance of its patron Queen Elizabeth II – and performed again that year as she officially opened the Zoo’s new Lion Terraces. The piece lasts under a minute, but makes its impact instantly. Walton dedicated it ‘to Solly Z., that Lion of Lions’ – a nod to Solly Zuckerman, the eminent zoologist and research pioneer who was President of ZSL between 1977–84. The piece has not been performed since – until now, in honour of ZSL’s 200th anniversary year.
Goff Richards (1944–2011) Homage to the Noble Grape (10’) 1. 2. 3.
Champagne Chablis Fundador
Goff Richards, born in Cornwall and trained at the Royal College of Music and the University of Reading, was a hugely influential figure in brass and light music. As a lecturer at Salford College of
Lee Tsarmaklis
Percussion
Andrew Barclay
Chair supported by Gill & Garf Collins
Karen Hutt
Chair supported by Joe Topley & Tracey Countryman
Oliver Yates
Featuring
Zooniversity Challenge A special late-night quiz celebrating ZSL’s anniversary. Hosted by presenters from London Zoo, this light-hearted game invites you to test your knowledge of both wildlife and music. Expect curious facts, playful questions and a few surprises, with prizes to be won.
Technology, he led the Big Band to win BBC Big Band of the Year in 1989, and his music has been performed by ensembles ranging from the King’s Singers to the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Composed in the mid-1990s his Homage to the Noble Grape raises a glass to wine in five contrasting movements, three of which are served this evening. Each captures a different mood – from sparkling effervescence to something smoother and more relaxed.
Chris Hazell (b. 1948) The Cats Suite (15’) 1. 2. 3. 4.
Mr Jums Black Sam Borage Kraken
Chris Hazell is best known in the brass world for his long association with the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, for whom he worked as a producer on many recordings. Alongside that, he developed a distinctive voice as a composer. His Cats Suite (also known as Three Brass Cats), written in the early 1990s, quickly became a favourite, with each movement affectionately portraying a different feline personality. Its success led Hazell to expand the set with Kraken (another Cat). The composer writes: ‘The Cats Suite is loosely based on the cats (all former strays) who share my home. Mr Jums is a ginger tom, scruffy but affectionate; Black Sam looks like and purrs like a New Orleans gospel singer; Borage, brown and white, rushes around all day long. Kraken, the only female, rules the roost, though only half the size of the others.’