The Northern Chamber Orchestra, the North West’s longest-standing chamber orchestra, has announced its 2022-23 season following its move to the brand new, purpose built, auditorium at The Kings’ School in Macclesfield, and the beautiful, intimate St Michael’s Church. The season, entitled “Orchestrating the Future”, is the first since the departure of Artistic Director and Leader Nicholas Ward, and sees a host of exciting conductors, directors and soloists, including cellist Guy Johnston, violinist Jennifer Pike, and conductor Jamie Philips taking to the stage.

The season opens on Saturday 15 October, when the Hallé’s assistant conductor Delyana Lazrova joins the youngest ever BBC Young Musician winner, violinist Jennifer Pike, for a concert of Beethoven works, including his revolutionary ‘Eroica’ symphony. The season continues in November and December with Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, ‘Jupiter’, conducted by Jamie Philips (November 5), and Haydn’s D major cello concerto, featuring soloist Guy Johnston and directed by his brother Magnus Johnston (December 17).

The NCO returns to Tatton Park on Friday 9 December for its annual Christmas Concert. The concerts (3.30pm and 7pm) will include festive favourites, readings and carols sung by the Choir of St Nicholas Catholic High School, Northwich, and the evening concert also includes a tour of the mansion.

2023 opens with the NCO in a reflective mood as it gives a concert at Macclesfield’s St Michael’s Church in remembrance of Holocaust Memorial Day. The concert features Rudolf Karel’s Nonet, written in Theresienstadt prison during WWII. Following this are a baroque and tango special, with violinist Sophie Rosa (February 18); a musical setting of the Stabat Mater sequence directed by Christopher Jones and sung by soprano Caroline Taylor and countertenor Ralph Thomas Williams (March 11, St Michael’s Church); and a concert devoted to the NCO’s outstanding wind section and directed by principal oboe of the RPO, John Roberts (April 1).

Closing the series on Saturday 6 May, Spanish violinist Jorge Jimenez directs the orchestra in three of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos alongside two 20th century works, Arvo Pärt‘s Fratres and Alfred Schnittke’s Suite in the Old Style. 

General Manager Charlie Rowley said “A new and exciting chapter opens in the NCO’s long history in Macclesfield at two new venues: the beautiful and intimate St Michael’s Church and the impressively grand and brand-new King’s School welcome us for the first time, and we hope for many years hence. New places and faces, but we will continue to surprise and delight in bringing world-class music and exciting new talent to Macclesfield”

Reflecting this new beginning for the NCO, discounted tickets for under 30s are available for the first time, alongside free tickets for under 18s and students. Tickets are on sale on Monday 20 June from www.ncorch.co.uk, with season tickets and group discount available.

Full listings follow:

Beethoven’s Eroica: breaking new ground 

Saturday 15 October 2022 7.30pm, The King's School, Macclesfield 

Conductor Delyana Lazarova, soloist Jennifer Pike (violin) 

Beethoven Violin Concerto Op. 61 

Beethoven Symphony No. 3 Op. 55 ‘Eroica’

Mozart’s Jupiter: Music of the Gods

Saturday 5 November 2022 7.30pm, The King's School, Macclesfield

Conductor Jamie Phillips, soloist Elizabeth Jordan (clarinet)

Copland Quiet City

Finzi Clarinet Concerto Op. 31 

Mozart Symphony No. 41 ‘Jupiter’

Christmas Concerts

Friday 9 December 2022 3.30pm and 7.00pm, Tatton Park, Knutsford

Shostakovich and the music of war

Saturday 17 December 2022 7.30pm, The King's School, Macclesfield

Director Magnus Johnston, soloist Guy Johnston (cello)

Vaughan Williams Five Variants of ‘Dives and Lazarus’

Haydn Cello Concerto No. 2 in D major

Shostakovich Symphony Op.73a

Music and the Holocaust

Saturday 14 January 2023 7.30pm, St Michael's Church, Macclesfield

Director Sarah Brandwood-Spencer

Mozart Flute Quartet in D major 

Karel Nonet Op. 43 

Spohr Nonet Op. 31

Baroque meets Tango

Saturday 18 February 2023 7.30pm, The King's School, Macclesfield

Director and soloist Sophie Rosa (violin)

Piazzolla Quatro Estaciones Portenas (Four Seasons of Buenos Aires)

Vivaldi Four Seasons

Stabat mater dolorosa

Saturday 11 March 2023 7.30pm, St Michael's Church, Macclesfield

Director Christopher Jones, solo viola Kay Stephen, soprano Caroline Taylor, countertenor Ralph Thomas Williams

Handel Concerto Grosso Op.6 No.4 

Lera Auerbach Sogno di Stabat Mater

Corelli Concerto Grosso Op.6 No.4 

Pergolesi Stabat Mater

Winds Unleashed

Saturday 1 April 2023 7.30pm, The King's School, Macclesfield

Director John Roberts

Ruth Gipps Seascape 

Raff Sinfonietta for winds 

Mozart Serenade for 13 winds ‘Gran Partita’

Bach and his legacy

Saturday 6 May 2023 7.30pm, The King's School, Macclesfield

Director Jorge Jimenez

Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 

Arvo Pärt Fratres 

Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 

Schnittke Suite in the Old Style 

Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 2