Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra to showcase 200 great young musicians on Bridgewater Hall stage in Manchester

More than 200 of the UK’s top young musicians will take to a Manchester stage for a spectacular night of classical music.

The end-of-year concert given by Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will see The Bridgewater Hall packed with pupils from the city’s iconic music school.

The concert is always a special occasion as it marks the final time the leavers play as Chetham’s School of Music pupils before heading off to top conservatoires to continue their studies.

This year’s concert falls on Friday 8 July, and here’s what you need to know about the event.

When is the end-of-year Chethams Symphony Orchestra concert and what is on the programme?

Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will take to the stage in Manchester’s famous Bridgewater Hall to showcase the skills of young musicians on the cusp of forging careers in classical music.

The concert is on Friday 8 July at 7.30pm. Conductor Ben Palmer will lead the musical forces in a programme featuring Stravinsky’s notorious ballet The Rite of Spring, which famously sparked a riot at its Paris premiere in 1913.

The programme also includes Urban Fox, a companion piece for Stravinsky’s classic written by the conductor especially for the musicians of the Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra.

The night also features Vaughan-Williams’ Toward The Unknown Region, marking the 150^th anniversary of the British composer’s birth, and Korngold’s rousing, Hollywood-influenced Violin Concerto in D Major with South African musician Jordan Brooks playing the solo part.

Tickets for the concert are £12.50 and can be bought here.

Performing with the music school’s symphony orchestra is the pinnacle of many young musicians’ time at Chet’s, which takes students aged between eight and 18.

And this year’s concert promises to be extra special as it is the first time since 2019 that the orchestra will be able to play to a full house because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

What has been said about the concert?

Tom Redmond, joint principal and director of music at Chetham’s, said: “After two years of pandemic and a limited capacity socially-distanced audience this time last year, we’re looking forward to seeing a packed out Bridgewater Hall this July.

“It’s a spectacular chance to see more than 200 of the best young musicians in the UK perform in one of the finest concert halls in the world.”