Skipton Camerata
Carmel Smickersgill, Tours & Activities Editor
Skipton isn’t the first place that comes to mind for classical music in Yorkshire, the smaller towns are often culturally towered over by the big cities. Skipton Camerata, however, are a professional chamber orchestra that fly in the face of expectation. Their high quality performance level, adventurous programming and top guest soloists, have been engaging more rural communities in live classical music since 2004.
Once Skipton Town Hall’s refurbishment has been completed the Camerata will become the orchestra in residence
The ensemble’s programmes often include new commissions as well as rarely played gems from well known names, meaning the audiences are never bored by the same classical ‘classics’. At the helm of this cultural ship is conductor and former BBC Music Fellow Ben Crick. With a solid grounding in standard orchestral repertoire, Ben has a passion for music of the British 20th Century and new works. It’s this drive for new sounds that gives Skipton Camerata an idiomatic timbre. They’re an ensemble that can give equal amounts of energy and passion to new work as they can to well established chamber orchestral works.
Although we can’t have concerts as we know them in the current situation, the Camerata have not been idle over lockdown. They’ve commissioned five new works which have been turned into films. Each piece tells a story from lockdown. Words by the writer Kamal Kaan have been underscored by five different composers, giving each piece a unique voice. These films are now on the Skipton Camerata website to watch in your own time.
Once Skipton Town Hall’s refurbishment has been completed the Camerata will become the orchestra in residence. For now, we can look forward to future concerts, in new Halls, with packed out audiences while we keep watching the excellent online content.
