Bruges old and new

We profile one of the most advanced and best-sounding concert halls in the UK, and take a look further afield at arts and culture across Manchester.

The young Belgian conductor has had a long association with the Flanders Symphony – and this January he takes the chief’s baton from departing Kristiina Poska, who reaffirmed the orchestra’s crisp, classical sound.

Next June and July will see MS6’s latest in impressively starry music-focused cruises, a 15-day journey to many locations around the Mediterranean, aboard the opulent liner Explora I.

While London can often seem daunting, the Southbank Centre offers a heady mix of culture – music, theatre, film and contemporary art – within easy walking distance of under a mile.

Kings Place, of the most successful new additions to the London music scene, sits in a rapidly changing King’s Cross – an intersection of new architecture, culture and heritage. 

The undulating sweep of The Glasshouse International Centre for Music makes it one of the most distinctive cultural spaces in the country. We take a wider cultural ramble through Gateshead, and Newcastle beyond...