Music
At The Arts Institute
Steinway Piano in Levinsky Hall, Roland Levinsky Building
From commissioning new music to cutting edge research, from open rehearsals and informal pre-concert talks to magnificent live performances, there are musical experiences for everyone at The Arts Institute.
By supporting new talent and bringing world-class musicians to Plymouth, and through our programmes of participatory community music partnership and educational activities, The Arts Institute is pivotal to the music scene across the South West.
The Arts Institute is pleased to also support musical talents of the student population by playing an active role in the University’s Music Week and other university/community musical organisations, as well as leading workshops and informal lectures for Children’s University.
"Levinsky Hall, as part of the University of Plymouth, is pleased to announce its inaugural season in a new classical music venue for South West England. Levinsky Hall, a showcase venue in the ground floor atrium of the Roland Levinsky Building, will present the Musica Viva Concert Series which brings internationally acclaimed performers to the Plymouth community to inspire, educate, challenge, and unite audiences by presenting leading musicians in public concert performances, open rehearsals, and informal talks.
With a wonderful Steinway Model C grand piano now in Levinsky Hall along with new on-stage acoustic panels, the two Autumn concerts - Romantic Piano and Virtuoso Violin kick off an exciting season that highlights both compositional and instrumental virtuosity in works ranging from the Romantic era to the present day that are fresh and daring in their expressive qualities.
Please join us for this exciting inaugural season!"
The Musica Viva Concert Series brings internationally acclaimed performers to our Plymouth community to inspire, educate, challenge, and unite audiences by presenting world-class musicians in public concert performances, open rehearsals, and informal talks.
Musica Viva sets the highest standards of artistic excellence with compelling performances that enrich the lives of the widest possible audience – including students – and provide a contextual, comprehensive approach to programming that enables greater musical understanding and appreciation.
Music and Film series
Music has long been used in film to help create drama, including creation of mood, suspense, and portrayal of characters. However, each of the films in this series focuses on music as a central theme, as a unifying biographical element, as a motivating force. These films have been chosen to complement our Autumn concerts – Romantic Piano and Virtuoso Violin.
Musica Viva – Southbank Sinfonia
4 February 2023
Southbank Sinfonia - an orchestra like no other - will perform at Levinsky Hall on 4 February 2023 as a part of our Musica Viva series. It is a thrilling opportunity to hear some of the most loved Beethoven masterpieces performed by some of the best young musicians in the UK, at the start of very promising careers.
Composition Competition
We are pleased to announce a Composition Competition – launched in partnership with Southbank Sinfonia – as part of ongoing celebrations of the inaugural season of Musica Viva concerts at Levinsky Hall.
We invite applicants under 25 years of age to submit their composition by 21 December 2022.
The competition winner will receive a £500 prize and a premiere performance of their composition at Levinsky Hall on 4 February 2023 as part of the Southbank Sinfonia concert programme.
What's on this season
Highlights from the archive
Musica Viva in Levinsky Hall
15 October – 12 November 2022
Musica Viva welcomed you to our inaugural season in the recently refreshed, and newly named Levinsky Hall in the Roland Levinsky Building, with our wonderful Steinway Model C grand piano now in situ along with new on-stage acoustic panels. This season, two concerts – Romantic Piano and Virtuoso Violin – highlighted both compositional and instrumental virtuosity in works ranging from the Romantic era to present day that are fresh and daring in their expressive qualities.
Fine out more about Romantic Piano and Virtuoso Violin
Expressionism: Emotions Unchained
Expressionism is one of the most intense and influential movements in art. Its defining characteristic is the artistic interpretation of the emotions that arise from experiencing daily realities, rather than a portrayal of the realities themselves.
Our festival Expressionism: Emotions Unchained offered a unique integration of pivotal music, visual art, and film of this energetic and vibrant artistic era of unbounded influence. We hosted four extraordinary evenings with world-leading artists.
Beethoven: Innovator - the podcast
Join Dr Robert Taub and Professor James Daybell as they explore some of Beethoven's most innovative works, his influence and the evolution of listening to music.
This captivating five part podcast series investigates topics including how we hear music, how our perceptions of music have evolved over time, and an insight into Beethoven's sketches.
Discover more and listen
Beethoven: Innovator – a 250th celebration
30 September – 2 October 2021
The inspiring three-day festival was dedicated to some of Beethoven’s most innovative works, with Dr Robert Taub, acclaimed pianist and Music Director of The Arts Institute. Our celebration of Beethoven's 250th birthday featured a series of concerts, fascinating informal lectures, and the world premiere of a new commission from leading international composer, Jonathan Dawe, based on Beethoven's sketches and performed by the Ruisi String Quartet.
Music Forums
"All of us love music, each in our own ways. But how? Why? What is it about music – even music that has no words – that affects us in the many ways that it does?" Dr Robert Taub, Music Director at The Arts Institute
Join us for a series of interesting live-streamed musical evenings featuring performances and informal conversations with Dr Robert Taub and guests. Upcoming dates for our summer Music Forums to be announced shortly.
Explore our previous Music Forums here on YouTube
Some Call It Home (Trailer)
Some Call It Home
4 and 5 June 2021 | Theatre Royal Plymouth
A provocative multimedia music drama bringing to life conflicting perspectives of our uneasy relationship with the land – our home, our planet. A world premiere performed by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra ensemble with leading international soloists.
Tracing a narrative through-line from the colonisation of North America to the current climate change and geopolitics induced mass migration, Some Call It Home combined imagery, video, narration, song and a string orchestra over the course of its 75-minute runtime. Created, produced and directed by Robert Taub, Music Director at The Arts Institute, as part of the Mayflower 400 commemorations.
Contemporary Music Festival 2019: MULTIVERSE
MULTIVERSE is the theme of University of Plymouth Contemporary Music Festival (CMF) 2019, which celebrates the internationally renowned research combining music, engineering and the life sciences developed at the University of Plymouth’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR).
MULTIVERSE proposes a weekend of musical interpretations of the quantum world.The London Mozart Players
The first event in Musica Viva, a new concert programme bringing internationally acclaimed performers to Plymouth, was performed by The London Mozart Players, the UK’s longest-established chamber orchestra.
“The London Mozart Players are in a class of the very best London ensembles. Although there are about 25 musicians for this concert, they play without a conductor. That’s very unusual, but because they are so coherent and so cohesive in their approach, they can do it.”
Dr Robert Taub
Previously performed on Saturday 9 March 2019 at Minster Church of St Andrew.
London Mozart Players – © Sim Canetty-Clarke 2017
Dr Robert Taub, Music Director, The Arts Institute
An acclaimed pianist known for his interpretations of Beethoven and new music, Bob has performed as guest soloist with many of the world’s foremost orchestras and conductors.
Bob oversees our music strand and using his expertise to contribute to Plymouth’s ever-evolving vibrant music scene.
Hear more from Bob in this short film as he discusses his illustrious career as an acclaimed concert pianist and his role here at the University.
The Arts Institute Music Director – Dr Robert Taub
More from The Arts Institute
Contact The Arts Institute
The Arts Institute, Roland Levinsky Building, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA
The Levinsky Gallery, Tuesday – Friday 10:00-17:00 and Saturday – Sunday 12:00-17:00 (closed Mondays and Bank Holidays)