About Orchestra North East
Orchestra North East has been playing and performing fine classical music in the north east for 30 years. We were originally Durham Sinfonia, set up in 1986. We changed our name to reflect the large scale orchestral works we now perform, and the range and calibre of musicians we attract from across the north east region and beyond. Take a look at our archive of past concerts to see the works we've undertaken over the past three decades!
We hire professional conductors, soloists and leaders - see what they think about working with Orchestra North East. Many of the conductors trained at the Royal Northern College of Music and have international reputations: André de Ridder, Philippe Bach, and Baldur Brönnimann. Others bring to our orchestra their experience of performance with major UK orchestras and concert venues – Thomas Blunt, Timothy Henty, Aidan Oliver, Neil Thompson, Jamie Burton, Ben Zander.
Orchestra North East has been playing and performing fine classical music in the north east for 30 years. We were originally Durham Sinfonia, set up in 1986. We changed our name to reflect the large scale orchestral works we now perform, and the range and calibre of musicians we attract from across the north east region and beyond. Take a look at our archive of past concerts to see the works we've undertaken over the past three decades!
We hire professional conductors, soloists and leaders - see what they think about working with Orchestra North East. Many of the conductors trained at the Royal Northern College of Music and have international reputations: André de Ridder, Philippe Bach, and Baldur Brönnimann. Others bring to our orchestra their experience of performance with major UK orchestras and concert venues – Thomas Blunt, Timothy Henty, Aidan Oliver, Neil Thompson, Jamie Burton, Ben Zander.
Do you love Orchestra North East too? Here's an interview with Peter Chester, a long standing committee member talking about the orchestra. How you can help?
Orchestra North East celebrated our 30th Anniversary in 2016.
2016 was a very special year for Orchestra North East – we had something to celebrate with music-lovers across the region. In 1986 Orchestra North East, then known as Durham Sinfonia, gave its first independent concert in Durham Cathedral. The Orchestra had been created some fifteen years earlier and had strong links with Durham University and its Choral Society, but in 1986 it began a new self-sustaining phase, as a charity, and has performed every year in the Cathedral since that time.
In the thirty years, 1986-2016, the Orchestra has given over 120 concerts, performing the works of over 80 composers; we’ve had 33 conductors, 48 soloists and most importantly we believe over 25,000 people will have attended our concerts, something of which we are rather proud. We are also pleased to have spread our wings to perform in other venues over the years, particularly to have played it the Sage Gateshead and to give regular concerts in the Gala Theatre Durham.
We celebrated our 30 years with a concert at Durham Cathedral on October 8th 2016 where the stage was set for a wonderful evening, which brought together established friends of the Orchestra, as well as providing an evening of glorious music. To mark the anniversary we opened the concert with a world première performance of The Land of the Prince Bishops, by North East composer Robert Smedley. Filmic in quality, this nonetheless symphonic piece comes from his suite Dunelmia and is inspired by his love of County Durham. The music seeks to depict elements and scenes from the region and its history, leading the audience to both visualize and identify with our part of the world.
Our distinguished soloist for the evening, cellist Alexander Baillie, has previously given numerous memorable performances with us over the years and we were delighted that he was able to return once more to perform Elgar’s Cello Concerto. This gloriously nostalgic piece of music was perfectly suited to the sonorities of the Cathedral.
We also enjoyed playing Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony, known as “The Romantic”. Bruckner’s orchestral music has an epic quality and he always uses the full forces of the Orchestra to dramatic effect, something that was most suited to the venue.
The concert was conducted by the rising young British conductor, Timothy Henty. Timothy has given several successful concerts with us now and it is very gratifying that such talented professionals continue to return to work with us.
Read the review of the evening here- http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/orchestra-north-east-rises-occasion-12005976
And finally - Orchestra North East is delighted and proud that in 2015, distinguished conductor John Wilson accepted our invitation to become the Orchestra’s Honorary President.
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2016 was a very special year for Orchestra North East – we had something to celebrate with music-lovers across the region. In 1986 Orchestra North East, then known as Durham Sinfonia, gave its first independent concert in Durham Cathedral. The Orchestra had been created some fifteen years earlier and had strong links with Durham University and its Choral Society, but in 1986 it began a new self-sustaining phase, as a charity, and has performed every year in the Cathedral since that time.
In the thirty years, 1986-2016, the Orchestra has given over 120 concerts, performing the works of over 80 composers; we’ve had 33 conductors, 48 soloists and most importantly we believe over 25,000 people will have attended our concerts, something of which we are rather proud. We are also pleased to have spread our wings to perform in other venues over the years, particularly to have played it the Sage Gateshead and to give regular concerts in the Gala Theatre Durham.
We celebrated our 30 years with a concert at Durham Cathedral on October 8th 2016 where the stage was set for a wonderful evening, which brought together established friends of the Orchestra, as well as providing an evening of glorious music. To mark the anniversary we opened the concert with a world première performance of The Land of the Prince Bishops, by North East composer Robert Smedley. Filmic in quality, this nonetheless symphonic piece comes from his suite Dunelmia and is inspired by his love of County Durham. The music seeks to depict elements and scenes from the region and its history, leading the audience to both visualize and identify with our part of the world.
Our distinguished soloist for the evening, cellist Alexander Baillie, has previously given numerous memorable performances with us over the years and we were delighted that he was able to return once more to perform Elgar’s Cello Concerto. This gloriously nostalgic piece of music was perfectly suited to the sonorities of the Cathedral.
We also enjoyed playing Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony, known as “The Romantic”. Bruckner’s orchestral music has an epic quality and he always uses the full forces of the Orchestra to dramatic effect, something that was most suited to the venue.
The concert was conducted by the rising young British conductor, Timothy Henty. Timothy has given several successful concerts with us now and it is very gratifying that such talented professionals continue to return to work with us.
Read the review of the evening here- http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/orchestra-north-east-rises-occasion-12005976
And finally - Orchestra North East is delighted and proud that in 2015, distinguished conductor John Wilson accepted our invitation to become the Orchestra’s Honorary President.
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