As part of its commitment to support cultural projects, BMW has partnered with the London Symphony Orchestra to launch BMW LSO Open Air Classics. The initiative will promote the best instrumental music performed for everyone free and open air.

Photo: the LSO, by Alberto Venzago

The first concert will be conducted in Trafalgar Square by Principal Conductor of the LSO, Valery Gergiev, on May 12 at 6.30 pm. Featuring works by Igor Stravinsky, the program will bring together the LSO players and 100 young musicians from LSO Discovery, the Orchestra’s award-winning music education and community program.

LSO will perform popular ‘Firebird Suite,’ ‘The Rite of Spring’ and other masterpieces. LSO animateur Paul Rissman will guide the audience through the repertoire.

The partnership will be long-term featuring annual concerts in different cities to be unveiled later. The LSO tours throughout Europe and Japan and has recently visited India, China and the Middle East. It has its own record label LSO Live that has released over 80 recordings with many of the world’s leading conductors including Sir Colin Davis, Bernard Haitink, Mariss Jansons and André Previn.

Dr. Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG said: “We are very proud of this new cooperation between the London Symphony Orchestra and BMW. The free to the public ‘BMW LSO Open Air Classics’ concert series on Trafalgar Square is the first international location of similar partnerships in Munich and Berlin. For BMW Group’s international cultural engagement, this cooperation is an important milestone towards the future of corporate citizenship. This is the start of a long-term partnership between the LSO and BMW—a partnership which we hope will be enjoyed by Londoners for years to come.”

Currently, BMW France is accepting applications for the 2012 residency program for photographers in Chalon-sur-Saône. The automaker is also building a new showroom in the Olympic park.