Ministry of Sound has announced The Annual Classical, an orchestral tour which reimagines dance music compilation The Annual.
Twenty-three years on from the debut edition of the compilation, The Annual Classical will see Ministry of Sound taking out a 50-piece orchestra to tour the UK. There will be a world premiere at London’s Royal Festival Hall on January 26, followed by a six-date UK tour starting in May 2019.
Classic FM has been announced as media partner for the classical crossover project. The network will be promoting the orchestral tour to its 5.2 million weekly listeners on air, online and on social media.
The tour will include dance tracks from the ‘90s by The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim and Dario G, which featured on The Annual compilations.
It follows Pete Tong’s Classic House and Ibiza Classics tours and albums, as well as orchestral performances curated by Cream and Hacienda. Meanwhile, DJ Spoony has taken garage music into orchestral performance.
Over the course of 23 editions since its 1995 inception, The Annual has achieved six chart-topping albums, and 16 Top 10 releases.
A documentary has been made celebrating the compilation series featuring interviews with Judge Jules, Paul Oakenfold and Brandon Block, alongside Ministry of Sound co-founder Justin Berkmann and chairman Lohan Presencer. The film will be screened exclusively at The Annual Classical performances across the UK.
Judge Jules said: “The Annual is the biggest-selling dance music compilation of all time, and I was equally proud to be involved then as I am now. Orchestrating some of its biggest tracks is an homage to some of the greatest musical memories ever, and the show promises to be a truly heart-stirring experience.”
Classic FM’s managing editor, Sam Jackson, said: “We passionately believe that classical music is for everyone – regardless of age or background – so The Annual Classical is a great fit for us. We’re excited that a new audience will experience the sound of a live symphony orchestra through what promises to be a ground-breaking tour.”
Ministry Of Sound chairman, Lohan Presencer, added: “The Annual is the best selling dance music compilation series of all time. Packed with classic anthems it’s only fitting that these tunes should get the classical treatment.”
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