Mike Batt’s passionate and dramatic Symphony No. 1 ‘Ukraine’ with Batt conducting the London Symphony Orchestra has shot straight into the Top Ten of the Official Classical Chart at Number Seven.
Having been involved with scores of chart-topping records for artists including Katie Melua, Vanessa Mae and, of course, The Wombles, Batt has scored his highest UK album chart position in his own name with Symphony No. 1 “Ukraine”, a powerful four-movement orchestral work inspired by the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the broader human cost of war.
“It’s really heart-warming that people have responded in this way to my first ever Symphony and I’m very grateful to the members of The London Symphony Orchestra for their phenomenal playing on the recording,” he said.
Born in Southampton, Batt also lived in Winchester and described himself as a ‘Hampshire hog’.
The composer, singer, songwriter, producer, and conductor known for a career spanning pop, film, and classical music, brings a strong sense of narrative and emotion to the piece. Moving from scenes of ordinary life through the chaos of conflict, grief, and loss, the symphony ultimately arrives at a message of hope and strength. Written for a full orchestra and conducted by Batt with the London Symphony Orchestra, the work combines dramatic intensity with lyrical, emotional passages, reflecting themes of suffering, courage, and the enduring human spirit.
- Mike Batt’s Symphony No. 1 ‘Ukraine’ was released on Friday 5th June 2026.
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