Some Hallam Sinfonia projects take years to come to fruition – our concert built around Richard Strauss’s Metamorphosen is one of these. In 2019, fired up by Strauss’s Four Last Songs, the orchestra’s cello-playing Strauss enthusiasts dreamed about playing this unique work, with its 23 independent string parts – 10 violins, five each of violas and cellos, three basses. A pandemic and other factors got in the way for a bit, but finally, under the expert guidance of Richard Jenkinson, an old...

Previewing the first half of our concert on Saturday 18 October - Stravinsky's "Pulcinella" suite. When Igor Stravinsky’s Pulcinella  premiered in 1920, audiences expecting another wild, modern explosion from the composer of The Rite of Spring  were in for a surprise. Instead of pounding rhythms and pagan rituals, they heard elegant melodies, graceful dances, and music that sounded - well - old. But beneath the powdered wig was a mischievous modern mind at play. Pulcinella  takes its name...

Hallam Sinfonia flautist and librarian Tony Jones writes about a recent experience at a local special needs school On Wednesday 4th June,...