Ripon’s renowned St CeciliaOrchestra is much more than just an orchestra. At its most spectacular it is an exceptionally fine and very large symphony orchestra, often working with top class international soloists and capable of giving high-quality performances of some of the most demanding large-scale works in the repertoire, such as Bartok Concerto for Orchestra, Elgar Symphony No 1, Holst Planets Suite, Janacek Sinfonietta, Rachmaninov Symphony No 2 and R. Strauss Ein Heldenleben.
St CeciliaOrchestra began life in the early 1990s, when a small group of local instrumentalists got together to accompany Ripon Cathedral Choir at its annual concert to celebrate St Cecilia’s Day.
It still relishes this close connection with the Cathedral, performing regularly for services and other special occasions, but it has also developed into a community orchestra par excellence, drawing its players from a wide area and performing in a variety of other guises, in a whole range of sizes, playing all types of music from 1600 to the present day.
The orchestra works regularly with adult choirs and choral societies across the north of England and its commitment to youth is demonstrated not only by the remarkable number of talented younger players in its membership but by its promotion of workshops for young instrumentalists and its championing of Ripon Youth Choirs and other young singers, especially in the annual Christmas Spectacular Concert. The orchestra also promotes educational concerts in schools throughout the region, in collaboration with the UK’s outstanding student ensemble, Vacation Chamber Orchestras.
The work of the orchestra is brought together under an umbrella organisation, the Ripon St CeciliaSociety Ltd, which works in collaboration with many other groups to provide a wide range of musical and educational concerts, events and services throughout the region. It is a non-profit-distributing company limited by guarantee and is also a registered charity. Its voluntary board of directors consists of local musicians, business people and professional arts organisers. For its income, the orchestra depends heavily on grants, sponsors and patrons.
Are you, or perhaps your organisation, able to offer this kind of valuable help? For more information, please telephone 01765 602856 or see elsewhere on this website.
The
St CeciliaSociety
also provides, on this website, a comprehensive North
Yorkshire Music and Arts Events Diary (including Craven,
Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmond & Ryedale Districts) and
an anti-clash diary for the region. Any arts organisations wishing
to make use of this free service should please contact us via
telephone or email us at: mail@st-cecilia.org.uk
If you would like to receive
regular information about the orchestra and concerts please
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