UCSB Arts & Lectures will host the London Philharmonic Orchestra, 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 at the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara.

The London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) has been recognized as one of the world’s great orchestras since its founding in 1932. Heard by millions on the soundtracks for “The Lord of the Rings” and other films, the ensemble will perform a rare Santa Barbara concert with violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja.

Known for her interpretations of both the established classical repertoire and avant-garde compositions, Kopatchinskaja has been a partner of the LPO for two decades.

Featuring acclaimed conductor Edward Gardner, the upcoming concert includes the Santa Barbara debut of the piece “Raices (Origins)” by Cuban-American composer Tania León, who is LPO’s composer-in-residence, a 2021 Pulitzer Prize-winner and 2022 Kennedy Center Honoree.

Also on the program: Shostakovich: “Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, op. 77;” Tchaikovsky: “Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, op. 36;” Beethoven: “Symphony No. 5 IV. Allegro” (LPO Moments); and “Being Pat” with Kopatchinskaja on violin.

The London Philharmonic Orchestra was founded by Sir Thomas Beecham in 1932, and has since been headed by such great conductors as Sir Adrian Boult, Bernard Haitink, Sir Georg Solti, Klaus Tennstedt and Kurt Masur.

In September 2021, Gardner became the orchestra’s principal conductor, succeeding Vladimir Jurowski, who became conductor emeritus.

The orchestra is resident at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London.

The Grammy-winning London Orchestra has recorded many blockbuster film scores, from “The Lord of the Rings trilogy” to “Lawrence of Arabia,” “East is East,” “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and “Thor: The Dark World.”

LPO also broadcasts regularly on television and radio, and in 2005 established its own record label, which now numbers over 120 releases.

It is the world’s most-streamed orchestra, with 15 million plays of its content globally each month and its innovative digital and social media content led to it being named runner-up in the 2020 Digital Classical Music Awards.

Gardner is principal conductor of the LPO and music director of the Norwegian Opera and Ballet.

During the 2023-24 season, he conducted the London Philharmonic in 10 concerts at the Royal Festival Hall and toured the orchestra in Asia and to major European cities including Paris, Munich, Frankfurt and Hamburg, as well as a mini-residency in Bruges.

He opened the LPO season with Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection.”Other highlights in London included his curation of “The Music in You,” a cross-arts spring festival which celebrated artistic expression of all kinds.

A supporter of young talent, Gardner founded the Hallé Youth Orchestra in 2002 and regularly conducts the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. He has a close relationship with the Juilliard School of Music, and with the Royal Academy of Music who appointed him their inaugural Sir Charles Mackerras Conducting Chair in 2014.

Born in Gloucester in 1974, Gardner was educated at Cambridge and the Royal Academy of Music. He went on to become assistant conductor of The Hallé and music director of Glyndebourne Touring Opera.

His accolades include being named Royal Philharmonic Society Award Conductor of the Year (2008), an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera (2009) and receiving an OBE for Services to Music in the Queen’s Birthday Honours (2012).

Kopatchinskaja’s focus, she said, is to get to the heart of the music, to its meaning for us – now and here.

With a combination of depth, brilliance and humor, Kopatchinskaja brings an sense of theatrics to her music. Described by The New York Times describes her as “a player of rare expressive energy and disarming informality, of whimsy and theatrical ambition.”

Kopatchinskaja’s priority is music of the 20th and 21st centuries and collaboration with living composers such as Luca Francesconi, Michael Hersch, György Kurtág, Márton Illés and Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Kopatchinskaja directs staged concerts at venues on both sides of the Atlantic and collaborates with leading orchestras, conductors and festivals worldwide.

As artist in residence, Kopatchinskaja is curating this year’s Golden Decade festival at the Dresden Philharmonic. The festival features her performance of major violin works from the Classical Modern era.

Kopatchinskaja is a humanitarian ambassador for Terre des Hommes, the leading Swiss child relief agency and was awarded the Swiss Grand Award for Music by the Federal Office of Culture for Switzerland in 2017.

Tickets are $58.50-$173.50; UCSB students, $20 with current student ID.

For tickets information, visit www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu or call 805-893-3535; or The Granada Theatre, www.GranadaSB.org or call 805-899-2222.