The Glasshouse

Local schoolchildren from Redcar and Cleveland are getting the chance to have their musical compositions performed by Royal Northern Sinfonia, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music’s house orchestra, in a special one-off concert at Eston Leisure Centre, Middlesbrough, on Thursday 13 March.

As part of orchestral music programme Our Music, Our Way, the concert follows a series of workshops delivered by Royal Northern Sinfonia and composer Michael Betteridge where young people have written original music exploring their sense of place and identity.

Workshops have taken place across Redcar and Cleveland since October 2024, with pupils from St Peter’s Catholic College, St Margaret Clitherow’s Primary, Freebrough Academy and Whitecliffe Primary all benefitting from time with the orchestra and Michael Betteridge. During their time they created two pieces of original music which they will proudly premiere with the orchestra.

Co-produced by Redcar and Cleveland Council, Tees Valley Music Service and Orchestras Live, Our Music, Our Way harnesses the power of collective music-making whilst putting the communities of Redcar and Cleveland at the heart of the music. By exploring place and heritage through music, Our Music, Our Way offers first-time orchestral experiences for families and young children, supports local schools to offer excellent music provision and works within care settings to support the health and wellbeing of older people.

Following the new compositions, the orchestra will also perform nine additional works on 13 March, including the mischievous The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, by Paul Dukas, where a spell spirals out of control, an exhilarating ride in the Swiss Alps with Gioachino Rossini’s William Tell and Elton John’s life-affirming anthem, The Circle of Life. Audiences will enjoy an uplifting programme that showcases an uplifting project.

Alongside working with schools, Royal Northern Sinfonia breaks down barriers in classical music by partnering with national organisations to support women conductors, help global majority of musicians get orchestral experience, and celebrate both disabled and non-disabled musicians through RNS Moves.

They believe orchestral music is for everyone, from big cities to tiny villages and newborns to lifelong listeners. Music lovers often find them performing in venues across the North, including churches, castles, and community centres and leading concert seasons in Carlisle, Kendal, Middlesbrough, and Sunderland.

Jess Lee, Royal Northern Sinfonia clarinet player, said,

“I feel very lucky to have been part of “Our Music, Our Way”. It’s been a privilege to have the chance to work with these young people in their schools and see what amazing things they are capable of creatively. We are all very excited to soon be sharing the music we have created, celebrating the community’s heritage.”

Redcar and Cleveland Council’s Creative Programmes Officer, Daniel Mitchelson, said,

“We absolutely love Our Music, Our Way. It’s so fantastic to see such brilliant young people from across the Borough collaborate with Royal Northern Sinfonia, and Orchestra’s Live. I’ve heard a few snippets of the kinds of music they’re making together, it’s thrilling, and we really can’t wait to hear it properly as part of the performance.”

Our Music, Our Way is possible due to kind funding form Woodsmith Foundation and Arts Council England.

-ENDS-

For press enquiries please contact:

Beverley Knight: beverley.knight@theglasshouseicm.org
0191 443 4583

Concert details

Our Music, Our Way – Royal Northern Sinfonia

Thursday 13 March | 6:30 pm
Eston Leisure Centre, Middlesbrough, TS6 9AE

Our Music, Our Way – Royal Northern Sinfonia at Eston Leisure Centre event tickets from TicketSource

About Royal Northern Sinfonia
Internationally renowned, calling Gateshead home.

37 musicians at the top of their game. Electrifying music, old and new. All the talent, determination and creativity of the North East on a worldwide stage. From their home at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Royal Northern Sinfonia share the joy and wonder of orchestral music with thousands of people across the North of England – and beyond – every year.

From symphonies to string quartets, film soundtracks to choral masses, and original performances with awesome artists from Sheku Kanneh-Mason to Self Esteem, the orchestra’s members have got one of the most varied jobs there is. They’re always looking for fresh new sounds from up-and-coming composers, inviting local communities to share a stage, and doing everything they can to inspire and prepare the musicians of tomorrow to one day take their place.

They’re also working hard to smash the barriers that can stop brilliant people getting into classical music. They’ve teamed up with national partners to support women conductors to develop their careers, to help global majority musicians get vital experience in the orchestra world, and to celebrate disabled and non-disabled musicians breaking new ground together in RNS Moves. And they bring new musical opportunities to the region, headlining the first-ever BBC Proms weekend outside London.

Because they whole-heartedly believe orchestral music is for anyone – big cities and tiny villages, brand-new babies and life-long listeners, die-hard fans and curious minds – they travel far and wide to make sure there’s top-notch classical music on offer for anyone ready to say, “I’ll give that a go”. You’ll find them in churches, castles, and community venues across the North, as well as spearheading concert seasons in Carlisle, Kendal, Middlesbrough, and Sunderland.

About Our Music, Our Way,

Our Music, Our Way’s orchestral programme in Redcar and Cleveland brings communities and generations together to create and share inspirational and accessible orchestral experiences.

The programme aims to increase cultural provision and opportunity in Redcar and Cleveland, an area that mixes the legacy of post-industrialisation with rural communities. It brings high-quality music-making into local community venues, providing opportunities for people to experience professional orchestral performances in their locality.

Co-creation of new music by local people is at the heart of the programme, alongside providing opportunities for young children to experience live music. The project provides different participant groups with the opportunity to engage in creative work and perform new music with a professional orchestra at celebratory events they contribute to shaping.

The project seeks to reach new audiences for orchestral performances and build a repertoire of new music with and about life in Redcar and Cleveland, bringing the community together to celebrate the joys of music-making in their hometown.

About Orchestras Live

Orchestras Live believes orchestras are for everyone. They’re a national producer and create projects where music and creativity thrive, ensuring communities across the country have access to world-class orchestral experiences.

Their collaborations with professional orchestras, educators, venues, promoters and communities are at the heart of our work, supported by active relationships with an ever- growing range of artistic, producer and funder partners.

After more than 50 years they remain the only organisation of their kind working in the orchestral sector. Their passion that people from all backgrounds, areas and ages should have the opportunity to participate in and be inspired by the highest quality orchestral provision continues to drive everything they do. The evidence they have amassed from nearly six decades of developmental orchestral activity demonstrates the truth behind their belief that orchestras are for everyone.

As they work to achieve their mission, they remain artistically ambitious, supporting risk and ensuring that learning is fed back into future delivery and shared more widely with the orchestral sector. Whilst they are proud of the steps they have taken with their partners they know that there is much still to be done to engage new audiences, break down social, economic and demographic barriers to access and support the development of an orchestral profession that reflects the diversity of today’s society.

About Tees Valley Music Service

At Tees Valley Music Service, they provide exceptional music opportunities for children and young people in Stockton-Tees, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, and Redcar & Cleveland. They believe that every child should have access to a wide range of opportunities, regardless of their background. They offer music tuition, support, and events in various styles and genres, and our pupils receive free membership of TVMS ensembles and choirs. Additionally, they offer events and workshops to the wider community, from Japanese Taiko to African Drumming, to Song Writing or rocking out in our Rock Factory facility.

​Tees Valley Music Hub (TVMH) is a partnership of educational and cultural organisations and practitioners who work together to provide the best possible musical opportunities for the children and young people of the Tees Valley.  They support, deliver and enable access to music education for children and young people within our local area. We work together to create a joined-up approach to music education. We receive central Department for Education funding which is brokered and managed by Arts Council England.

About The Glasshouse International Centre for Music

The Glasshouse International Centre for Music is a home for live music lovers.

It’s a place where you can hear rock legends or pop icons on the same night as folk trios or string quartets. Where new musicians are nurtured and showcased on the same stages as platinum-selling performers. And where youth choirs and tambourine-shaking toddlers practise in the same spaces as its acclaimed orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia.

Because as an international centre for music they’re focused on creating and celebrating outstanding music – whether that’s unearthing or growing talent from the region or bringing the world’s best artists to their stages. And as a charity they’re focused on making sure all of that is available to anyone – no matter where you’re from, how old you are, how much money you have, or what challenges you face.

• Since opening in 2004, The Glasshouse has hosted over 10,000 performances, welcoming nearly 5 million audience members. It would take more than 27 years to see every show if you attended one every day.
• Over two decades, the charity has delivered around 230,000 music lessons, reaching young people and adults 2.7 million times across its education programmes.
• Celebrating 20 years – In December 2024, The Glasshouse marked its 20th birthday. Over the next year, the charity will reflect on two decades of achievements and look ahead to its third decade, with major initiatives like the Music Academy and Music Pass for newborns, making music accessible to all.