The North of England Concert Orchestra was formed in 1997 from players of the Northern Ballet Theatre Orchestra with the object of developing the orchestra’s work outside the pit. The orchestra’s critical acclaim is due in no small way to this expanding activity.

The Orchestra, which is managed by Northern Orchestral Enterprises Ltd, has appeared in most of the county’s major concert venues and regularly accompanies the Halifax Choral Society. Recent engagements include accompanying the late Luciano Pavarotti in Newcastle and Birmingham in Opera Galas and further appearances at Hull and Ripley Castle also the premier of KinderKonzerts in York summer 2007.

The Orchestra, as the Northern Ballet Theatre Orchestra, has recorded two extremely successful CDs on the Naxos label, 20^th Century English Ballets and Dracula, and in 1998 The Hunchback of Notre Dame was recorded on the Black Box label. The orchestra won a Gramophone magazine Critic’s award in 2000 for their recording of the score of NBT’s production of Great Expectations recorded on the NPC label.

“…..the orchestra responded to Pryce-Jones’ direction with verve and gusto, matching the atmosphere of the programme notes: a closely-knit sonata-style movement that epitomises London life, full of colour and incident, but without a note wasted”.

Halifax Courier

 “The North of England Chamber Orchestra opened with a spirited rendering of Mozart’s overture to The Magic Flute, under the sprightly and energetic baton of John Pryce-Jones. The lush harmonies of Vaughan-Williams Five Mystical Songs were movingly expressed by the orchestra. Soloist Sir Thomas Allen, chorus and orchestra were as one.” 

Halifax Courier