THIS IS LONDON NOVEMBER EDITION 2025 - Flipbook - Page 28
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DOWN FOR THE COUNT SWING INTO
CHRISTMAS
The Down for the Count Swing
Orchestra will return to London this
winter with their celebrated seasonal
production, Swing Into Christmas,
taking place at Cadogan Hall on Sunday
21 December (13.00 & 16.00). Now a
highlight of the city’s festive cultural
calendar, the show is renowned for its
blend of musical excellence, nostalgic
charm and warm, engaging presentation.
Swing Into Christmas will stop at 24
other cities around the UK, including
Oxford and Watford.
Led by conductor and compère
Mike Paul-Smith, the 30-piece ensemble
is one of the largest swing orchestras
currently performing in the UK.
Featuring leading vocalists and
instrumentalists, the orchestra performs
entirely live, recreating the full sound of
mid-century studio recordings. PaulSmith, who founded the ensemble in
2005, notes that this expanded
instrumentation echoes the classic
arrangements of Frank Sinatra and Nat
‘King’ Cole. ‘We’ll have 30 musicians on
stage, and every note is completely live,’
he explains. ‘It’s hard to put into words
quite how spectacular it sounds.’
London audiences can expect a
carefully curated programme balancing
festive favourites with timeless
selections from the Great American
Songbook. Known for their rich
arrangements and historically informed
style, the orchestra will present both
familiar classics and lesser-known
gems, including new arrangements and
rediscovered archival pieces such as
Louis Armstrong’s interpretation of
White Christmas and enduring
standards like New York, New York.
Previous London performances have
earned widespread acclaim, with
audiences praising the production as
‘full of joy’, ‘fabulous’ and ‘a truly heartwarming experience’. The orchestra’s
longstanding association with Cadogan
Hall has resulted in numerous sold-out
appearances, underscoring the show’s
continued popularity.
With its combination of impeccable
musicianship, vintage glamour and
festive spirit, Swing Into Christmas at
Cadogan Hall promises to be one of
London’s standout seasonal events.
www.swingintochristmas.co.uk
www.downforthecount.co.uk
KINGS PLACE FESTIVE SEASON
Kings Place’s 2025 festive season
offers a wide-ranging programme across
classical, jazz, gospel, folk, and comedy,
blending traditional Christmas repertoire
with fresh seasonal approaches.
The season opens on 11 December
with vocal ensemble I Fagiolini,
presenting works by Howells,
Charpentier, and Holten alongside
readings from Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s
Christmas in Wales. On 13 December,
Jess Gillam and her ensemble perform
Christmas with the Jess Gillam
Ensemble, featuring music by Michael
Nyman, Corelli, Barbara Thompson, and
festive favourites such as Ella
Fitzgerald’s The Secret of Christmas.
Jess Gillam Ensemble
Photo: Robert Clewley
Classical highlights include the
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
on 14 December with a seasonal edition
of Bach, the Universe and Everything,
and The Hanover Band performing
Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with chorus
and soloists on 22 December.
Folk concerts include A Winter Union
(12 December), The Albion Christmas
Band (15 December), Tim Edey’s Celtic
Christmas (20 December), and American
vocal quartet Windborne (21 December),
offering carols, solstice songs, and
traditional winter music.
T H I S I S L O N D O N M A G A Z I N E • T H I S I S L O N D O N O N L I N E • w w w. t i l . c o m • @ t h i s i s l o n d o n m a g
