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RNS Out & About

RNS has always been actively involved in local communities, and over recent years has developed performance programmes throughout the region.

This began with the first Baroque Christmas by Candlelight regional tour in December 2016. The orchestra, complete with hundreds of candles, journeyed to churches in Newcastle, Cullercoats, Sunderland, Hexham, Carlisle and Darlington, to perform festive instrumental music. This series has continued to grow year on year, and in 2019 included Alnwick, Darlington, Durham, Rothbury, Cullercoats, Stockton, Carlisle, Hexham, Sunderland, and Richmond.

Following the success of these Christmas concerts, in Summer 2018 – coinciding with the Great Exhibition of the North – RNS gave its first summer regional tour, Nordic Summer Nights, celebrating music in the spirit of the North performed across the North.

RNS at Hexham Abbey

RNS at Hexham Abbey

Regional work has since further evolved to include wo smaller church concert series in Spring and Autumn. Recent repertoire has included Mahler’s ‘Titan’ Symphony, Mozart’s Gran Partita, Mendelssohn’s Octet, Debussy’s La Mer, and a programme of American-inspired music including Dvořák’s ‘New World’ Symphony.

These popular concerts bring live orchestral and chamber music to new audiences and encourage greater engagement with Royal Northern Sinfonia.

2020 saw the return of the full orchestra to Carlisle – for the first time in fifteen years – for Beethoven 2020: The Next Generation, supported by Classical Futures Europe and the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.

“Thank you so much for bringing this magic to our doorstep” – Audience Member, Alnwick

“We are so grateful to have these concerts as we often cannot travel to Sage Gateshead. Please don’t stop coming!” – Audience Member, Carlisle