Northern Sinfonia (Chamber Orchestra)

Founded: 1958 - North East of England

Northern Sinfonia is a chamber orchestra founded in 1958 and based in the North East of England. Thomas Zehetmair joined the orchestra as Music Director in September 2002. Northern Sinfonia has built a reputation for high standards of performance and flexibility of approach over a wide repertoire. The Sinfonia’s work includes concerts with its Music Director and other distinguished visiting musicians including Sir Roger Norrington, Evelyn Glennie, Yuri Bashmet, Thierry Fischer and Tasmin Little. The Sinfonia’s programme also includes concerts designed specifically for a variety of venues and for different times of day: The Late Mix, Rush hour and Lunch time concerts have all become important strands of the Sinfonia’s work.

In 2001 Northern Sinfonia became wholly integrated into the North Music Trust who will programme and manage the orchestra and its new multi-million pound Foster & Partners designed home, The Sage Gateshead. On completion in 2003, The Sage Gateshead will provide concert halls of acoustic excellence, performance and rehearsal spaces and a new music education centre.

Recordings and broadcasts form an integral part of the orchestra's work. Northern Sinfonia has won the Classic CD awards for the Best Concerto Recording and Living Composer award. Recent releases have included Ralph Vaughan Williams’ ‘Sir John in Love’, ‘English Guitar Concertos’ and Finzi’s ‘Cello Concerto’, which have received great critical acclaim.

Complementing concert activity, the Sinfonia’s wide-ranging community and education programme features activities from participatory projects to performances for people of all ages and for people of all musical abilities. Northern Sinfonia also has an associated award-winning youth orchestra, Young Sinfonia providing unparalleled opportunities for talented young musicians. The Sinfonia is joined for both performance and recording by The Sinfonia Chorus.

Source: OrchestraNET Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (November 2004)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Richard Hickox

Orchestra

Sinfonia from BWV 35

Links to other Sites

Sage Gateshead: Northern Sinfonia (Official Website)
Askonas Holt: Northern Sinfonia
OrchestraNET: Northern Sinfonia

Northern Sinfonia - MusEd - British Council - Arts
Northern Sinfonia of England (KD Schmid)
Northern Sinfonia (Guild Music)