Birmingham concert venue Symphony Hall has celebrated its 21st birthday – after hosting 7,500 events attended by ten million people.

A concert featuring the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Chorus marked Tuesday's milestone as part of a seven month-long series of anniversary celebrations.

An array of top artists also paid tribute to the city centre venue, which was opened by the Queen on June 12, 1991.

Andris Nelsons and Simon Halsey conducted Tuesday night’s anniversary show featuring baritone Bryn Terfel and mezzo-soprano Christine Rice.

The show is repeated on Wednesday and is followed by a string of events, including Sir Simon Rattle conducting the Vienna Philharmonic and a promenade-style performance featuring more than 600 Birmingham schoolchildren.

Singer Tony Bennett, soon to appear at the hall, said: “The audiences in Birmingham are exceptionally warm and welcoming and are so fortunate to have this beautiful Symphony Hall in their home town.

“It’s one of my favourite places to perform.”

And singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading said: “Having grown up in Birmingham, I feel really proud that this city has one of the finest concert halls in the UK.

“It’s always a highlight to play to the audiences in this wonderful theatre.”

Musicians and audience members are also being encouraged to pay tribute to the venue by leaving messages on Facebook and Twitter and in the hall foyer. The seven-month 21st anniversary festival has featured performances from a string of artists, including the Royal Opera, Billy Connolly, Kailash Kher, Elvis Costello, John Malkovich, Philip Glass and the Kronos Quartet.

The festival will close on July 20 with New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.

Artists from Bruce Springsteen to Yehudi Menuhin, Ravi Shankar and Liza Minnelli have previously performed at the venue over the years.

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