The Glasshouse

Royal Northern Sinfonia, renowned for its captivating performances, is launching a local tour from Friday, 29 March to Sunday, 7 April. They’ll make friends with music enthusiasts across the North in Berwick, Bishop Auckland, Wooler, Yarm, and Barnard Castle. 

The message is clear: classical music isn’t confined to concert halls in big cities.

Royal Northern Sinfonia, along with The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, their home base in Gateshead, is amplifying regional pride by taking their performances out and about. This commitment reflects a rare initiative among orchestras to make sure they take classical music to new audiences in unexpected locations.

Classical music is a powerful force, moving listeners one note at a time. The organisation wants to fill a void, especially in rural communities, meaning people can be part of the classical music scene without leaving their local area.

Audiences at The Maltings, Auckland Castle, Wooler Arts, Princess Alexandra Auditorium, The Glasshouse and The Witham can feel the power of every crescendo, trill, and heart-stirring pause. With Strauss, Brahms, Mozart, and more, the melodies will weave stories that linger long after the final chord.

James Thomas, Director of Royal Northern Sinfonia, says,

“We’re lacing up our musical hiking boots and venturing out to bring some magic to your doorstep. We’re lucky enough to bask in the beautiful sounds of our Royal Northern Sinfonia every day. We can’t wait to share that joy with as many hearts as possible.

Royal Northern Sinfonia is for everyone in the North, wherever they are. Touring is a big part of how we bring the transformative power of music to communities.

“Whether it’s the bustling city streets or the tranquil countryside, we love exploring new spaces.”

-ENDS-

Press enquiries:

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

Images:

Credit Tynesight Photographic

Royal Northern Sinfonia – IMAGE
Royal Northern Sinfonia – IMAGE

Tour dates

Friday 29 March 2024 | 7:30pm Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet at The Maltings, Berwick

Saturday 30 March 2024 | 5:00pm Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet at Auckland Castle

Sunday 31 March 2024 | 3:00pm Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet at Wooler Arts

Tuesday 2 April 2024 | 7:30pm Mozart’s Dissonance Quartet in Yarm

Saturday 6 April 2024 | 7:00pm Mozart’s Dissonance Quartet at the Glasshouse

Sunday 7 April 2024 | 2:00pm Mozart’s Dissonance Quartet at The Witham, Barnard Castle

About Royal Northern Sinfonia
Since its creation in 1958, Royal Northern Sinfonia has moved the North East and beyond. They’re not just the UK’s only full-time chamber orchestra but a musical family.

Royal Northern Sinfonia is a true musical ambassador. Their passport is stamped by the world’s most prestigious festivals, like BBC Proms, and they have a history of performances in places including Tokyo and Budapest.

Innovation is in their DNA, as seen in the commissioning of new works by luminaries such as David Lang and Errollyn Wallen. And with RNS Moves, an inclusive ensemble featuring disabled musicians and non-disabled members of Royal Northern Sinfonia, they’ve broken down barriers, making their music a beacon of inclusivity. Their collaborations read like a who’s who of the classical and contemporary music scene, featuring maestros like Christian Tetzlaff, soloists like Jess Gillam and icons like John Grant.

Through The Glasshouses’ Centre of Advanced Training and In Harmony Newcastle Gateshead, their commitment to community and education shines brightly. They nurture the next generation of musicians, ensuring the future of music is as vibrant as its past.

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.

Which is why every year more than 2 million people are able to join for top-notch gigs, concerts, and classes – in their venue at Gateshead Quays, out in communities across the North East, and through livestreamed performances and digital lessons.

Whether you’re making it up or taking it in, you’ll find music lives and grows there.

More about The Glasshouse International Centre for Music

• From global stars to artists starting out, The Glasshouse has hosted 10,022 performances, totalling 4.7m tickets. To have seen every performance would have meant seeing one show every day for 27 years.
• It’s hosted over 220,000 music lessons for North East folk. The region’s young people have learnt to play, sing or produce with us, on over 1.7m occasions.
• Royal Northern Sinfonia perform at The Glasshouse, tour the region, and have played to international audiences on four continents, with livestreams reaching people across five.
• Like stepping stones, artists like Ward Thomas have worked their way from their free stages to selling out its big hall and getting global recognition.
• The Glasshouse regularly opens its doors to a wide range of conferences and events. Since 2004, they’ve welcome over 400,000 delegates from the likes of Greggs, NHS and British Engines, and many, many more.
• The charity is one of Gateshead’s biggest employers, and so far it’s generated £500m of economic value to the region.
• The charity has been the proud guardians of The Glasshouse for almost 20 years, safeguarding it when live music was put on hold during the pandemic.
• The centre has 630 panes of glass and stands 40m tall.