Earlier concerts

For future and recent concerts please see the main concerts page.

St Mary's Church, Leek - 23rd November 2012

This concert featured a talented nine year old violinist, Georgina Bloomfield, as soloist. Georgina is a pupil at Beech Hall School in Macclesfield. She has been a member of the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain, has performed with the Biddulph Male Voice Choir, and has won first prize at various music festivals. Georgina played the violin concerto op. 35 by Oskar Rieding, the Romance from The Gadfly by Shostakovich, and the theme from Ladies in Lavender.

The full programme was:

St. Luke's Church, Mow Cop - 11th May 2012

This concert featured the Adagio from Mozart's Clarinet Concerto, with the conductor, Julia Harding, as soloist, and a performance by children from Woodcocks' Well Primary School. The orchestra's programme was:

Proceeds from the concert were shared with the school and church.

St. Mary's Church, Alsager - 23rd March 2012

For this concert the strings were again joined by a number of wind players, and the main works were Mozart's Piano Concerto no. 23 in A, K488, and Haydn's last symphony, the "London", no. 104.

The soloist in the concerto was Gintaute Gataveckaite, a young pianist from Vilnius, Lithuania currently completing her Bachelor of Music degree at the Royal Northern College of Music under the tutelage of Graham Scott. She has received awards in numerous national and international competitions and performs regularly throughout the UK and Europe.

The full programme was:

Proceeds from the concert were shared with the church's Open Door Project.

Trinity Church, Leek - 25th November 2011

This concert had a seasonal theme, and the strings were joined by a number of wind players. The programme included a work by Leek composer Jean Bode, a member of the cello section.

Most of the proceeds from the concert were given to the church, which had recently been refurbished.

St. Luke's Church, Mow Cop - 17th June 2011

This concert featured saxophone solos by the conductor, Julia Harding, and a short programme of music performed by children from Woodcocks' Well C. of E. Primary School. Proceeds went to the school and the church.

The orchestra's programme was:

Kidsgrove Town Hall - 5th March 2011

In this concert the violin soloist was Benedict Holland, who has worked with many ensembles in the UK and abroad, and has appeared as guest leader with many of the country’s major orchestras. Benedict Holland is leader and artistic advisor of Sinfonia ViVa, and teaches at the RNCM and elsewhere.

The concert was in support of the Town Mayor of Kidsgrove's charity, Diabetes UK.

Salvation Army, Leek - 19th November 2010

This concert featured the young Congleton soprano Lily Bracegirdle. The programme was:

St. Mary's Church, Leek - 19th March 2010

This concert featured local oboe player Charmian Baskeyfield as soloist.

St. Luke's Church, Mow Cop - 16th October 2009

This concert included both saxophone and clarinet solos by the conductor, Julia Harding. Proceeds went to Woodcocks' Well School funds.

St. Andrew's Church, Clifton Campville - 9th May 2009

The final concert of the 2008-9 season was held in St. Andrew's Church, Clifton Campville, near Tamworth. This was a memorial concert for James Maddocks, a former professional violinist and conductor of the Newcastle Strings. The orchestra was augmented by friends of James, and his sister Joan was the soloist in the viola concerto by Telemann. The orchestra was conducted by Julia Harding, with Albert Hancock as leader. The proceeds were for church funds.

Salvation Army Citadel, Leek - Friday 20th March 2009

St. James' Church, Newchapel - Friday 21st November 2008

This concert featured the outstanding local countertenor Craig Faulkner, and saxophone soloist Caroline Wallett.

Endon Methodist Church - 7th December 2007

St. Thomas' Church, Mow Cop - 28th September 2007

Congregational Church, Newcastle-under-Lyme - 23rd March 2007

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