Amateur Orchestras - Northumbria

Orchestra	Conductor Leader	Rehearsal Venue/Times	Contact	Notes
Alnwick Playhouse Concert Band	Ray Thompson	Monday evenings at 7.30pm in the Playhouse, Alnwick	Nicola McMeekin (Band secretary)	New members of grade 4+ standard welcome. We also have a Starter Band for beginners
The Cobweb Orchestra	Andy Jackson	Three different venues: Harelaw (between Stanley and Durham), Newbiggin (near Ashington) and Tebay (in Cumbria) - see website for details	Northern Sinfonia (Outreach & Education): tel :- (0191) 240 1812 ext. 209	An enthusiastic, tolerant group of players with professional orchestral guidance - blowing the cobwebs away!
Durham University Hill Orchestra	Matthew Allan	Wednesday evenings during term time only, 7:30-9:30pm in St. Aidan's College Dining Hall, Durham	President	Student orchestra, no minimum standard required and a wide range of abilities represented. Performs three concerts per year including a Christmas Concert, a Summer Tour and "Last Night of the Proms" around Easter time.
First Act Theatre Orchestra	Mike Wilmot	Weekly on Sundays from 2-4pm – at the Jubilee Theatre, Gosforth.	Mike Wilmot 07764 661 560	We are an evolving orchestra set up in early 2007 around a 16 year old theatre company, First Act Theatre. We perform for musicals with the theatre and in separate concerts. We cover a wide range of music styles. We are looking for musicians of all ages and backgrounds willing to commit to regular rehearsals, who love music and enjoy playing in groups and with singers We are looking to expand our membership (19 at last count) and so have vacancies in all sections and we are particularly keen to develop the membership of our string, brass and percussion sections.
Geoff Walton Orchestra		Friday from 1.45p.m. to 3.45p.m. at Heaton Community Centre in Trewitt Road (off Chillingham Road)	John Hornby (Secretary) 0191 2521708	The music, including light classical, musicals and symphonies, is played purely for enjoyment and the programmes are changed every three weeks to avoid boredom. No auditions, new members of all ages and abilities welcome
New Tyneside Orchestra	Stephen Pettitt	Monday at Chillingham Road Arts and Sports Centre, Heaton, Newcastle, 7.30pm to 9.30pm	Rachael Leisk (Secretary)	3 concerts a year often with soloists from The Northern Sinfonia, whose members also give coaching sessions during the term.
Newcastle Concert Band	David Milner Lucy Beckman	Northern Counties School for the Deaf, Tankerville Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, on Tuesday 7.30pm to 9.30pm during term time		A very versatile 40 piece band playing all types of music to a high standard.
North East Concert Band	Ian Watson Gordon More	Sunday 7.00-9.00pm, Chester-le-Street Community Centre Newcastle Road		An enthusiastic and friendly bunch playing a wide variety of music from Bach to Lloyd Webber. Vacancies exist for French Horns Trombones and 2nd clarinets. Other wind instrumentalists or percussion welcome.
North East Recorder Orchestra	John Hawkes	Fourth Saturday in the month (except August and December) from 10am to 1pm in the hall of Christchurch, Sheildfield, Newcastle upon Tyne	John Hawkes 01661822909 Flora Pitt 01913841029	The North East Recorder Orchestra was formed in January 2004 to give recorder players in the North East Of England the opportunity to tackle large scale pieces either especially written for the recorder orchestra or arrangements. There are no auditions but members are expected to be competent sight-readers on the recorder.
Northumberland Orchestra Society	Gillian Coop Eric Nixon	Mondays 7-30 to 9-30 pm in the music school of Newcastle upon Tyne Central High School		Formed in 1877! Vacancies in all sections of the strings, 4th horn, 3rd trumpet, bass trombone and percussion
Prudhoe Community BandNEW	Dave Hignett	Saturday mornings, throughout termtime, Prudhoe, Northumberland		We play a wide range of music to encompass the different levels of playing abilities within the band, but the emphasis is always on the fun and enjoyment of playing with other musicians.
South Gosforth Orchestra		Wednesday from 7p.m. to 9p.m. in Benton Methodist Church Hall (100 yards North of Benton Metro Station)	Violet Hart (Secretary) 0191 4562702	The music, including light classical, musicals and symphonies, is played purely for enjoyment and the programmes are changed every three weeks to avoid boredom. No auditions, new members of all ages and abilities welcome
Sunderland Symphony Orchestra	Rupert Hanson David McCourt	Wednesday 7pm - 9pm. West Park Church, Stockton Road, Sunderland.	David Mills Rupert Hanson	A community orchestra aiming for professional standards. Two symphony concerts per year (April & September) plus 'Opera for All' in October and a Christmas Carol Concert.
The Tynedale Orchestra	Alex Lewis Colin Dickinson	Thursday evenings at 7.30pm in the Winter Gardens at the Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham.	John Hawkes (membership secretary) 01661-822909	Vacancies for violins, violas and double bass.
Tyneside Chamber Orchestra	Colin Start Edward Cross	Alternate Sunday evenings (more before a concert), Peoples’ Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne, 19:00 – 21:00	Sarah Dowden (secretary) 0191 284 6615	Enthusiastic and friendly string orchestra, established 50 years. We give concerts three times a year. New players very welcome. No auditions, but first three rehearsals ‘casually probationary’!

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