Dutch-Bosnian classical accordion maestro and composer Nihad Hrustanbegović has written new pages in musical history, becoming the first accordionist to perform seven consecutive nights at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
From 23 to 29 March 2026, Hrustanbegović took part in the prestigious series of concerts marking the 26th anniversary of the Teenage Cancer Trust. At the invitation of this year’s festival curator and frontman of The Cure, Robert Smith, Hrustanbegović opened the program every night in front of a sold-out audience, demonstrating the unprecedented possibilities of the classical accordion.
Breaking barriers and setting new standards
With this endeavor, Hrustanbegović joined the elite circle of musicians such as Eric Clapton and Ludovic Einaudi, who hold the record for the most consecutive performances at this hall. During the seven-day residency, the artist performed a rich repertoire that included the compositions Just like heaven by Robert Smith and The Cure, Yesterday – Beatles, Amsterdam – Jacques Brel, Miss Sarajevo – U2 and Luciano Pavarotti, Oblivion – Astor Piazzolla, Libertango – Astor Piazzolla – Missouri – Pulp Fiction and Tarantino, Sevdah, Vivaldi, Albeniz, Claude Debussy, contemporary, jazz, pop, classical music and personal pieces from the solo album Mediterraneo and his first album The Best of Concert Accordion.
Critics and audiences agree: “An accordionist with the soul of an orchestra”
British music critics described his performances as “revolutionary”. Hrustanbegović managed to “redefine the perception of the accordion, transforming it into an instrument that sounds like a complete symphony orchestra under his fingers”.
Hrustanbegović, whose soaring tones were both eerie and beautiful, effortlessly moving from spectral melancholy to intensity with ease.
From Vivaldi to The Cure
As the lights of one of the world’s most prestigious concert halls slowly dim after a seven-day musical marathon, the name echoing through the halls of London’s Royal Albert Hall is not a rock star with an electric guitar, but the Dutch-Bosnian accordion maestro and composer – Nihad Hrustanbegović. In the week behind us, from 23 to 29 March 2026, Hrustanbegović achieved a feat that borders on the impossible: he became the first accordionist in history to perform seven consecutive nights at this temple of music. It all began with a personal invitation from rock legend and frontman of The Cure, Robert Smith. As this year’s curator of the traditional Teenage Cancer Trust concert series, Smith was looking for an artist who could combine classical precision with unprecedented emotion.
The choice is fell on Hrustanbegović, whose task was to introduce the audience to each night of the festival with his solo performances. Seven evenings, seven triumphs during seven evenings, Hrustanbegović demonstrated all the power of the accordion and his talent in front of thousands of visitors. From interpretations of classical works to original compositions, all the way to subtle echoes of Balkan melos, pop and jazz music, every evening was a testimony of technical perfection and a deep experience of music. His performance was not only a “prelude” to the big bands that followed; it became an integral part of the experience that kept visitors coming earlier.
“To play in this hall is a dream, but to play seven nights in a row and feel the accordion breathing with this architecture is something that cannot be described in words,” said a visibly emotional Nihad after the final performance.
This record also has a deeper value. The entire concert series is dedicated to raising funds for young cancer patients. Hrustanbegović’s contribution to this noble cause places him alongside the greats like Eric Clapton, who holds the absolute hall record, but in the world of the accordion – Nihad is now alone at the top. With this historical series, Nihad Hrustanbegović not only promoted his instrument, but also set the bar for all future generations of musicians, proving that there are no impregnable fortresses for true talent and the accordion. Over the course of seven nights, Hrustanbegović led the audience through a carefully designed musical journey. Each evening had a different emphasis, which avoided monotony and showed the incredible breadth of the accordion.
“A special moment of each evening was the performance of the composition ‘Stork Suite’, with which he paid tribute to his roots, mixing classical form with the deep emotion of sevdah.”, it is stated.
The music critics of the leading British newspapers spared no words of praise: “What Hrustanbegović does with the accordion is not just playing; it’s breathing. He broke down all prejudices about the accordion as a folk instrument and placed it where it belongs – at the top of the world’s classics and avant-garde. Nihad’s series of seven nights at the Royal Albert Hall will be remembered as the moment when the accordion finally got its ‘rockstar’ status in London. With this venture, Nihad Hrustanbegović entered the ‘Golden Book’ of the hall. While the Royal Albert Hall was previously dominated by piano virtuosos like Ludovico Enaudi, Nihad proved that the accordion has the same, if not greater, power to transform the space. His record of seven consecutive evenings now stands as a beacon for all artists from the Balkans, but also for accordionists around the world, confirming that authenticity and superb skill open the doors of the world’s most closed stages.
“And yes, I succeeded! Seven nights in a row with a classical accordion, playing for about an hour every night on the main stage of the Royal Albert Hall. As a special guest at the Teenage Cancer Trust concerts from Monday 23 to Sunday 29 March 2026, organized by Robert Smith. I am happy to have contributed to the world of young people for their better tomorrow,” Hrustanbegović said after the final concert.
Humanitarian character
All ticket proceeds from these seven evenings go to the Teenage Cancer Trust to provide specialist care and support to young people with cancer across the UK.
