top of page
Lim CR DECCA_ Digital Release Cover CMYK.png

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra presents the World Premiere of

Lim Cosmic Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra

​

Jean-Yves Thibaudet joins the RPO for a spectacular journey through music and the cosmos

​

  • World premiere performance: 5 May 2025, Barbican Hall with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Robert Ziegler, with London Voices, The City of London Choir, singer Tom Ball and the ALAN team musicians including Matthieu Eymard.

  • Digital album release: 2 May, 2025 on Decca Classics.

  • First single: Is Anybody Out There available 28 February, 2025.

 

London, UK – The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) presents the world premiere of Lim Cosmic Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra on 5 May, 2025 at the Barbican Hall, London. The concert programme also includes Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm Variations (arr. Schoenfeld and Rothman) and Holst’s The Planets.

​

At the intersection of science, technology, and the creative arts, Cosmic Rhapsody uses real-life scientific discoveries and events to show how innovation can address the environmental and societal challenges facing our planet, told through the power of music and animation.

​

Coinciding with the world premiere, Cosmic Rhapsody will be released digitally on Decca Classics on 2 May, 2025.

​

A Vision for the Future

​

Inspired by NASA’s triumphant return to space after a decade-long hiatus, aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, Cosmic Rhapsody follows humanity and artificial intelligence on a journey beyond Earth in search of vital resources to address our planet’s environmental and social challenges. The rhapsody inspires hope for a future where science, innovation, and human resilience come together to build a better world.

​

At its heart, Cosmic Rhapsody is about our collective search for solutions—both on Earth and beyond. It is a celebration of human resilience, scientific discovery, and the boundless potential of creativity.

​

An Extraordinary Musical Journey

​

Created by physician scientists and songwriters Susan Lim and Christina Teenz Tan, with music by the gifted Manu Martin, Cosmic Rhapsody blends orchestral writing with song and animation. A 42-minute orchestral rhapsody, the work unfolds over seven acts, featuring seventeen tracks interwoven with sweeping orchestral interludes, creating a dynamic and immersive listening experience.

​

A Stellar Collaboration

​

This ambitious project brings together some of the most respected artists in classical music and film:

​

  • Jean-Yves Thibaudet, one of the world’s most celebrated pianists, brings his signature virtuosity to the solo part.

  • Robert Ziegler, renowned for his work across orchestral, film, and contemporary music, conducts the RPO in this premiere.

  • London Voices and City of London Choir provide the choral textures, alongside the voice of America's Got Talent alumnus Tom Ball.

 

Part of the larger ALAN Trilogy, Cosmic Rhapsody builds on themes introduced in Lim Fantasy of Companionship for Piano and Orchestra, which was recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and premiered in the UK with the RPO at Cadogan Hall on 5 July, 2023. The accompanying short film Fantasy of Companionship between Human and Inanimate won numerous accolades at global film festivals, including Best Score at the British Short Film Awards, 2021, and Best Family, Children Film at the Annual Cannes World Film Festival 2023.

​

Lim Cosmic Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra represents the second installment in this trilogy. The animated film began its festival circuit at the start of this year, and has already garnered several accolades, including Best Musical Film, Best Soundtrack, Best Voiceover, and Best Inspirational Film at the NY International Film Awards January 2025.

 

The third installment, Symphony of the Oceans, will be recorded at Abbey Road Studios in spring 2025, and will explore the devastating issue of space and other debris on our oceans.

​

The world premiere of Lim Cosmic Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra will take place on 5 May, 2025 at the Barbican Hall, London. Book online at https://www.rpo.co.uk/whats-on/eventdetail/2509/86/holst-gershwin-and-martin

​

The album will be released digitally on Decca Classics on 2 May, 2025

https://jean-yvesthibaudet.lnk.to/CosmicRhapsody

​

The first single, Is Anybody Out There, is available 28 February, 2025

https://jean-yvesthibaudet.lnk.to/IsAnybodyOutThere

​

ENDS

​

Notes to Editors

​

Links & Further Information

​

 

Media Enquiries

Damaris Laker, Artium Media Relations
Damaris@artiummediarelations.co.uk
+44 7900 684720

​

Biographies

Susan Lim, creator, storyteller, songwriter

 

Susan Lim is the creator, storyteller, and songwriter of the ALAN Trilogy.

Through her ambitious ALAN Trilogy, she orchestrates a powerful conversation about humanity's future, exploring the intricate dance between societal challenges and the disruptive technologies that define our era.

 

ALAN isn't just music and animation; it's a thought-provoking exploration of how human ingenuity and AI-enabled Inanimates might collaborate to shape a better tomorrow. From the intimacy of Earth in ALAN I: Fantasy of Companionship, confronting the pervasive issue of loneliness, to the vast expanse of space in ALAN II: Cosmic Rhapsody, seeking solutions to environmental crises, and finally, diving into the mysteries of the ocean in the upcoming ALAN III: Symphony of the Oceans, addressing the growing problem of space debris, Lim's trilogy is a journey through the critical questions of our time.

 

Dr. Lim brings a unique breadth of experience to her artistic vision. A Cambridge-trained immunologist with a 30-year career as a pioneering surgeon in transplantation and robotics, she seamlessly integrates the rigor of scientific inquiry with the boundless creativity of artistic expression. Inspiration strikes in diverse locales, from the snowy peaks of Courchevel and Deer Valley to the shores of the Mediterranean and rice fields of Bali, reflecting the global nature of the challenges she addresses.

 

ALAN I introduced us to this unique vision with a seventeen-song pop album, ALAN’s Fantasy (Signum Records, 2022), the orchestral masterpiece Lim Fantasy of Companionship for Piano and Orchestra recorded with Tedd Joselson and the London Symphony Orchestra, London Voices at Abbey Road Studios (Signum Classics, 2021), and an award-winning animated film Fantasy of Companionship between Human and Inanimate which garnered numerous accolades, including Best Score at the British Short Film Awards 2021, and Best Family / Children Film at the Annual Cannes World Film Festival 2023.

 

ALAN II: Cosmic Rhapsody launches us on an interstellar voyage. Born from the tumultuous events of 2020 – a world grappling with a pandemic and witnessing the devastation of wildfires, yet inspired by the historic return of NASA astronauts to space aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon– Cosmic Rhapsody captures the spirit of resilience and hope. It began with the poignant song Is Anybody Out There (lyrics by Susan Lim, music by Joi Barua), which was launched as an animated tweet just before the SpaceX Crew Dragon liftoff, and evolved into a full-fledged musical and cinematic experience, co-created with Christina Teenz and the ALAN team, with the orchestral score composed by Manu Martin, and animation by Samudra Kajal Saikia. The world premiere of Lim Cosmic Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra recorded with Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Robert Ziegler and London Voices at Abbey Road Studios (Decca Classics, May 2, 2025) marks a significant milestone in this ongoing exploration. A 17-song pop album mirroring the orchestral work and an award-winning animated film are also on the horizon.

 

This exploration of the future takes center stage in the ALAN Trilogy, which is more than just entertainment; it's an invitation. An invitation to ponder the future of humanity, to consider the ethical implications of bio-engineering, and to explore the potential for collaboration between humans and AI. It's a call to action, disguised as a symphony. In Lim Cosmic Rhapsody, the opening act introduces us to the Humanimate, a being with an expanded genetic code, inspired by the cutting-edge research of Steven Benner's NASA lab. These hybrid beings, combining human and inanimate elements, represent a potential future of collaborative evolution.

 

Dr. Benner himself will be present at the world premiere, witnessing his scientific creation brought to life through the artistry of Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. As Dr. Lim’s lyrics for Humanimate proclaim (music by Ron J Danziger, orchestration by Manu Martin): "A cocktail of building blocks /

A,T,G,C (the bases in DNA) - Animate / A cocktail of building blocks / S, B, P, and Z – Inanimate / Forms an eight-letter code / It’s a Hachi-moji / Human and Inanimate combined / A new species defined".

 

Susan Lim's ALAN Trilogy invites us to imagine – and empowers us to build – that new species, that new future, together.

 

Christina Teenz Tan, co-creator, storyteller and songwriter

 

Dr. Tan is the co-creator, storyteller, songwriter of the musical and animation project the ALAN Trilogy, a testament to her unique blend of artistic and scientific pursuits. Her writing draws from a rich tapestry of cultural experiences in California, Singapore, and Melbourne: a rigorous foundation from her Singaporean education, an expansive imagination nurtured in Melbourne, and creative freedom honed at Berkeley. She co-wrote the lyrics for ALAN II: Cosmic Rhapsody, which inspired the orchestral work Lim Cosmic Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra.

 

A memorable moment: during the Abbey Road Studios recording of her song "Pie in the Sky" with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, composer Ron Danziger proposed to her. Sample lyrics: "Pie in the sky / How did we ever get so high / Into cosmic space we’ll fly / We’re just a pie in the sky."

 

Currently a Neurology resident at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, Dr. Tan will begin a Neuroimmunology Fellowship at Harvard University in Boston this summer, pursuing her passion for music alongside her medical career.

 

Manu Martin, composer, orchestrator, arranger and producer

 

Martin is the composer, musician, music arranger, of the ALAN Trilogy’s orchestral works: Lim Fantasy of Companionship for Piano and Orchestra (ALAN I), Lim Cosmic Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra (ALAN II), and the upcoming Lim Symphony of the Oceans (ALAN III).

 

Manu Martin graduated at the age of 16 from the Conservatory of Bordeaux with a jury ‘Special Mention’. He then joined the Faculty of Musicology of Toulouse and Bordeaux, where he completed a Masters in Musicology. He moved to Paris to pursue a career as a pianist and composer, writing music for television and radio. Martin has worked alongside acclaimed French artists and more recently composed six of the tracks from Florent Pagny’s chart-topping, platinum album Aime La Vie. In 2017, Manu Martin joined Susan Lim’s ALAN Trilogy project both as a musician and music arranger, together with Matthieu Eymard, Music Director, for the ALAN the Musical project.

 

Jean-Yves Thibaudet, pianist

 

Through elegant musicality and an insightful approach to contemporary and established repertoire, Jean-Yves Thibaudet has earned a reputation as one of the world’s finest pianists. He is especially known for his diverse interests beyond the classical world, including numerous collaborations in film, fashion, and visual art. He is a devoted educator and the first-ever Artist-in- Residence at the Colburn School, which awards several scholarships in his name.

 

A prolific recording artist, Thibaudet has appeared on more than 70 albums and six film scores; his extensive catalog has received two Grammy nominations, two ECHO Awards, the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik, the Diapason d’Or, the CHOC du Monde de la Musique, the Edison Prize, and Gramophone awards. His recent recordings include Gershwin Rhapsody, a collection of Gershwin pieces recorded with Michael Feinstein, including four newly-discovered ones; Night After Night, a celebration of James Newton Howard’s scores for the films of M. Night Shyamalan; and Carte Blanche, a collection of deeply personal solo piano pieces never before recorded by the pianist. He is the soloist on Alexandre Desplat’s score for Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch; his playing can also be heard in Desplat’s score for Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Dario Marianelli’s scores for Pride and Prejudice and Atonement, and Aaron Zigman’s score for Wakefield.

 

Robert Ziegler, conductor

 

Acclaimed conductor Robert Ziegler captivates audiences worldwide with his stimulating and imaginative performances. He leads orchestras globally and records with major labels such as Deutsche Grammophon, Decca, and Universal. He recently made his debut with London’s Philharmonia Orchestra leading a sold-out performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Ziegler is equally sought after for classical music programs and collaborations with legendary pop and jazz artists.

 

His diverse discography includes The Disney Book with pianist Lang Lang and Pete Townshend’s Classic Quadrophenia (both with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), Max Richter’s ballet Woolf Works, and recordings with Ludovico Einaudi, Randy Newman, David Gilmour, and Stewart Copeland. He has contributed to numerous film scores, including those by Howard Shore, Jonny Greenwood, Alberto Iglesias, Max Richter, and Alf Clausen’s iconic music for The Simpsons. Ziegler recently recorded the music of Yupeng Chen for the internationally successful computer game Genshin Impact with the London Symphony Orchestra.

 

Tom Ball, singer

 

“The Teacher Who Became a Global Star” – USA Today

Tom Ball is a 26-year-old singer, songwriter, and teacher from the UK who skyrocketed to fame after his show-stopping performances as a runner-up on Britain’s Got Talent in 2022 and as the first-ever group Golden Buzzer finalist on America’s Got Talent: All-Stars in 2023. His remarkable transformation from a baby-faced, jolly drama teacher to a bona fide recording artist has been nothing short of extraordinary. With more than 90 million views online, sold-out shows, eight No. 1 iTunes rankings worldwide, and a Top 5 debut album, Curtain Call (released May 2024), Ball is now one of the most exciting new voices in music.

"One of the best singers the show has seen in sixteen years" – Amanda Holden, Britain’s Got Talent

 

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

 

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s (RPO) mission to enrich lives through orchestral experiences that are uncompromising in their excellence and inclusive in their appeal places it at the forefront of music-making in the UK and internationally. Typically performing approximately 200 concerts a year and with a worldwide live and online audience of more than 60 million people, the Orchestra is proud to embrace a broad repertoire and reach a diverse audience. Whilst artistic integrity remains paramount, the RPO is unafraid to push boundaries and is equally at home recording video game, film and television soundtracks, and working with pop stars as it is touring the world performing the great symphonic repertoire with its Music Director Vasily Petrenko. Discover more at rpo.co.uk

bottom of page