Northampton

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s (RPO) mission is to place orchestral music at the heart of contemporary society and to ensure that live orchestral music is accessible to as inclusive and diverse an audience as possible. As part of this commitment, the Orchestra enjoys four key residencies outside of London and is proud to be Resident Orchestra in Northampton.

The RPO has enjoyed a relationship with the town of Northampton for almost 25 years, since its inaugural season of concerts as Resident Orchestra in 2002–03. The Derngate Theatre has been the backdrop for numerous orchestral concerts with leading conductors and soloists, welcoming audiences from across Northamptonshire and further afield. The Orchestra has performed a range of programmes, from the great symphonies and concertos to galas of film music and Christmas favourites, and has collaborated with local music groups, such as the Northampton Bach Choir and Daventry Choral Society. A particular focus on families has seen popular Relaxed Performances and Noisy Kids concerts with the Orchestra, and RPO Resound has delivered a varied programme from workshops for toddlers and young people with special educational needs, to open rehearsals and schools’ concerts, devised in association with young producers from the local area.

Current and forthcoming highlights at Royal & Derngate includes Music Director Vasily Petrenko making his debut in Northampton conducting Sibelius’ Symphony No.2, a Valentine’s Opera Gala with star soloists Anne-Marie MacIntosh and Nicky Spence OBE, and Beethoven’s Symphony No.5 conducted by Cornelius Meister, plus performances from pianist Boris Giltburg and violinist Clara-Jumi Kang.

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