Powell was due to join the NCO on 21 March 2020 for a concert in Macclesfield, but this was cancelled last minute due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The orchestra are thrilled to welcome him back for this concert, which will be filmed at The Stoller Hall in Manchester. Since winning the British Contemporary Piano Competition in 2010, Benjamin Powell has gained a reputation for intelligent and expressive performances with a strong commitment to contemporary music. He has performed across the UK and Europe as a soloist, chamber musician, and song accompanist in venues including Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, Snape Maltings, Bridgewater Hall, IRCAM (Paris), and Harpa (Reykjavik). In 2014 he was appointed pianist for Manchester’s leading contemporary music group, Psappha.

Last week, the Northern Chamber Orchestra was thrilled to receive a grant of £44,064 from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the orchestra’s concerts and outreach activities were cancelled or moved online, and the grant from the Culture Recovery Fund will help to rebuild and reengage audiences after what has been a very challenging year. With plans in the pipeline for a full season of concerts in Manchester and Macclesfield beginning in September 2021, as well as extended outreach work across the North of England, the NCO will return stronger than ever.

Full concert details:

Northern Chamber Orchestra Soloists with Benjamin Powell, piano
Unlimited online streaming between Sunday 25 April and Sunday 2 May
£15 per household

Mozart Clarinet Quintet in A
Schumann Piano Quintet in E flat major

Streaming passes available from www.ncorch.co.uk