Northern Silents announces the creation of its new orchestra

Northern Silents announces the creation of its new orchestra - Northern Silents Sinfonia. This sixteen-strong orchestra is made up of professional players from Yorkshire and the North West, and features past and present members of the Hallé, Manchester Camerata, Manchester Collective, Orchestra of Opera North, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, and BBC Philharmonic.

Preston-based conductor, Helen Harrison, is an alumnus of the Philharmonic Society’s Women Conductor programme and has conducted the Royal Northern Sinfonia (including for performances of Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman) and the Royal Philharmonic orchestras. Helen is also the music director of Preston Opera and Blackpool Symphony Orchestra. 

Northern Silents Sinfonia will make its debut performing Charlie Chaplin’s own score to his 1921 feature, The Kid, on the opening night of Silents by the Sea at Morecambe Winter Gardens on Saturday 8th June. 

Conductor Helen Harrison said: “I’m thrilled to be conducting this wonderful new orchestra, and to be doing so in the beautiful Morecambe Winter Gardens.”

Northern Silents Artistic Director Jonny Best said: “Northern Silents Sinfonia brings together some of the finest orchestral musicians in the North to create a new chamber orchestra which will specialise in playing silent film music. The sinfonia will make its debut at Morecambe Winter Gardens and we hope very much to take the new orchestra around the UK in the future.”