Our Year of Music: 2024–25 in Review
By Tom Redmond, Joint Principal and Music Director
At the end of this academic year, it’s incredible to look back at the musical highlights of the last ten months. It’s been a rollercoaster of activity, made seamless by our incredible team in the concert and timetabling office who create risk assessments, order packed lunches, book train tickets, hire vans, move chairs, stands and large instruments, and help us deliver an unrivalled musical programme.
September
We began the year with Manchester Camerata and the culmination of their project to record every Mozart piano concerto in the Stoller Hall. As in previous instalments, soloist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, conductor Gábor Takács-Nagy and the orchestra were joined by four string players from Chets. This edition included the rarely heard Triple Concerto, for which Bavouzet was joined by Andrea Nemecz and Chets alumna Rose McLachlan. We’re very proud that this award-winning series of recordings was made in our hall and has featured our students since it began in 2016.
We joined Manchester Camerata again for a Mid-Autumn Festival concert with the Chinese Consulate. We played music by Mozart and Smyth alongside works by Chinese composers. We were also joined in the first two months of term by professors from the Royal College of Music, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and the Central Conservatoire of Music (CCOM) in Beijing, who delivered inspirational masterclasses for our students.
October
Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra Concert at Stoller Hall, October 2024
Sibelius Academy students from Helsinki joined us for Music Course while Professor Petri Aarnio, leader of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, gave masterclasses on chamber music and orchestral leadership. Chets alumnus Wayne Marshall conducted the Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra (CSO) in a programme of Carwithen, Holst and Rachmaninov with piano soloist Yurij Szyrokyj, and the Chetham’s Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) performed music by Galante, Smyth, Dvořák and Mozart with piano soloist Harmony.
Meanwhile, our vocalists were recording the colour of all things constant, a new work by Cassie Kinoshi. This was in conjunction with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and part of a fresh set of BBC Ten Pieces, a resource that brings classical music to schools across the UK. Vocalists were involved in a live broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and a concert for schoolchildren at Aviva Studios. These also featured Sixth Form hornist Claire Marsden, who played Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4 with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra live on radio.
November
Visit by Central Conservatoire of Music Beijing, November 2024
Shortly after half term, we welcomed guests from our partner school in Beijing, the CCOM. Professors delivered coaching and masterclasses in chamber music and composition. We then held a concert featuring new pieces inspired by an old Manchester hornpipe and written by student composers from both schools. We look forward to a reciprocal visit in the next academic year.
We held our annual Brass Academy Day, where students worked with guest tutors and musicians from across the UK for a day of chamber music, solo playing and coaching. We were also very pleased to welcome back alumnus Mathis Picard, who led workshops with composers, pianists and jazz students before giving an inspiring concert in the Carole Nash Hall.
A trio of students and a duo of tutors travelled to Finland for a weekend of chamber music as part of our exchange with the Sibelius Academy. They were hosted in cabins across the Helsinki campus and enjoyed a visit to the composer’s home, Ainola, in the deep Finnish snow.
December
Christmas Music at Manchester Cathedral, December 2024
Following their impressive performance at last year’s Hallé Steve Reich Festival, our percussionists were invited back to the Bridgewater Hall to play again with Colin Currie during his visit to Manchester.
We welcomed over a thousand children and families for our schools and family concerts at Stoller Hall. The vibrant programme included a setting of Roald Dahl’s Little Red Riding Hood, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Festive Overture, and Mr Bear’s Adventure, a charming piece combining live orchestra and film. These concerts were conducted by Felicity Cliffe and presented with warmth and enthusiasm by Chets Governor and BBC Radio 3 presenter Linton Stephens.
Soon afterwards, we came together for one of the highlights of the Chets calendar: Christmas Music in Manchester Cathedral. This magical evening of music and readings marked the true beginning of the festive season for all in our community.
January
Claire Marsden (right), Benjamin Ellin (centre) and Joseph Buckmaster, January 2025
2025 began with our exchange with Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo. As our string players flew out, their woodwind players flew in… or that the was the plan. The 5mm of snow in Manchester caused flights from a more wintery Norway to be rerouted to Liverpool, but all was well in the end and both groups of travelling students enjoyed a brilliant week of music-making.
Our vocalists performed the off-stage voices for Holst’s The Planets and hornist Claire Marsden was the soloist in Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings at a concert in Slaithwaite conducted by Chets alumnus Benjamin Ellin. Peter Moore, another Chets alumnus, visited with his Nexora Trio, giving inspiring vocal, piano and trombone masterclasses, followed by a stunning recital.
February
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We welcomed around 50 young woodwind players to Chets for our Woodwind Academy Day, which featured guest tutors from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Opera North.
While CPO spent Music Course working on music by Takemitsu, Judith Bingham, Borodin and Bruch (with cello soloist Grace), CSO focused on an even broader representation of composers: Anna Clyne, Maconchy, Lili Boulanger, Sibelius, Beethoven, Bruckner, Price, Avril Coleridge-Taylor, Judith Weir and Mahler. The project was supported by the Association of British Orchestra’s Sirens Fund, which enabled us to take the orchestra to the Essa Academy in Bolton and perform to several hundred children, many of whom were hearing a live orchestra for the first time. Students from feeder primary schools had worked with our Creative Engagement team prior to the visit to explore and create music inspired by Maconchy.
In the first half of our Stoller Hall concert, Scarlet Banks sang Beethoven’s Ah Perfido and Claire Marsden played Glier’s Horn Concerto, both conducted by Alec Frank Gemmill.
Within two hours of the final chord of Mahler’s Second Symphony, 45 exhausted students and staff set off half asleep on a bus and plane to be resurrected in the Italian Alps. We spent a magnificent week skiing in Pila, though this being Chets there was inevitably music, with our very own Daisy Mitchell directing the whole Chets Ski Chorus in an impromptu performance for all the hotel guests on our final night.
March
Chetham’s Big Band in Rhyl, March 2025
Arriving back in Manchester with as many limbs as we left with, we were straight back into action. Our strings-playing colleagues from Oslo joined us for some chamber music, and our Big Band visited Rhyl Town Hall to bring joy to a capacity audience. We also held our annual Strings Side-by-Side project, where leading professional players coached our chamber groups.
After several months in the making, Bardo Tsa presented the completely student-led premiere of his musical-cabaret, Afterdeath. Staged in the Carole Nash Hall and featuring a cast of singers and instrumentalists, this hour-long performance was a captivating kaleidoscope of musical styles and colours. A project like this can only happen at Chets, and it reminds us of what a unique environment it is in which we’re all lucky enough to study and work.
April
As spring sprung, we were joined for a day by musicians from the Grenadier Guards. They marched and performed, coached some of our wind and brass ensembles, and gave insights into life within a military band. We were also joined by one of the world’s top brass bands, Foden’s, who led a day of rehearsals and workshops for our students alongside Foden’s Youth Band, culminating in a short performance.
The term ended with our annual Founder’s Day in Manchester Cathedral. It featured music from all our instrumental departments, new compositions by Stephen Frith and Andrea Price, and an address by guest speaker, viola tutor and alumna Gemma Dunne.
May
Chets Bakers at HOME during Manchester Jazz Festival, May 2025
As GCSE and A-Level study leave began, our younger students had the opportunity to work with violinist and Chets alumnus Callum Smart, who led a directing project with the Chetham’s String Orchestra around Elgar’s Serenade for Strings and Ayana Witter Johnson’s Dream City. It was a pleasure to welcome Callum back to Chets before he moves to Pennsylvania, where he will take up a professorship at Carnegie Mellon University.
With Manchester enjoying blazing sunshine, a student septet made their way across town to perform at the opening event of Manchester Jazz Festival. Billed as Chets Bakers, they performed two spectacular sets at HOME that made a room full of strangers listen in wonder at the extraordinary music they heard.
June
Manchester Classical at Bridgewater Hall, June 2025
Before we knew it, June was upon us. Opera props were being sourced, rehearsal schedules finalised and the finishing touches added to the Leavers’ Concerts and Chetham’s Summer Festival. These events exemplify what Chets does best: uniting people and communities through exceptional performances and rich musical experiences.
As part of Manchester Classical, winners of our Sixth Form, Middle School and Years 7 and 8 Piano Competitions played beautifully at Bridgewater Hall’s Stalls Bar Stage. We also launched an Orchestral Pathway with the Royal Northern College of Music to provide talented musicians from China with an unrivalled opportunity to progress their studies here in Manchester, the UK’s most dynamic and innovative city.
July
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The year ended in spectacular style. As part of our Summer Festival we staged our first fully staged opera, L’Enfant et les sortilèges, by Ravel, staring Chets alumna Divine Sibanegavi in the title role. Working alongside a professional creative team including director Genevieve Raghu, it marked the culmination of a year-long journey for Chets vocal students and was both a showcase of extraordinary young talent and a powerful example of what’s possible when young people are given the space and trust to create.
Chetham’s Philharmonic Orchestra and other ensembles from our Middle and Lower Schools travelled to Bolton’s Victoria Hall to present a spectacular concert that included Kapustin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 featuring guest soloist Jackson, selections from Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, and John Williams’s iconic The Raider’s March.
Finally, Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra performed side-by-side with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra at MediaCityUK, marking the launch of an exciting three-year partnership between the two organisations. The ambitious and vibrant programme featured music by Mark-Anthony Turnage, Roxanna Panufnik, and George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture, all under the baton of conductor Lee Reynolds.
We were honoured to welcome our Patron, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, alongside the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, the High Sheriff of Greater Manchester and the Ceremonial Mayor of Salford for this landmark occasion. Their presence reflected the importance of this partnership as both a musical milestone and a cultural investment in the region’s young talent.
Chetham’s Philharmonic Orchestra Concert at Victoria Hall, Bolton, July 2025
We must also acknowledge our amazing Choristers. In addition to five regular services each week in Manchester Cathedral, they have been part of many exciting events, including: a service for His Majesty’s Judges; a special Evensong for the Cathedral Organists’ Conference; a performance of Duruflé’s Requiem on All Souls’ Day; performances of Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s St John Passion with Manchester Baroque; a Masonic carol service in St Ann’s church; three Christmas services, including the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols; a live broadcast of evensong on BBC Radio 3; and services over Holy Week and Easter! Congratulations to all our dedicated choristers and also to Chris Stokes and Geoffrey Woolatt, who make all of this happen.
Beyond these highlights, the year has been filled with a remarkable array of other concerts, workshops, performances, and collaborative learning opportunities — too many to name individually. Among them were 123 lunchtime concerts (including our much-loved relaxed performances), 70 external performances, the ever-inspiring Baronial Baroques, and countless sessions led by our students alongside the Creative Engagement team, using music to make a real difference in people’s lives.
Baronial Baroque in the Baronial Hall, March 2025
Much of this would not be possible without our extraordinary team of accompanists. Their dedication to crafting balanced programmes, supporting every student, and performing with such artistry deserves special recognition and heartfelt thanks.
We are also deeply grateful to the individuals and organisations who support our work, whose belief in what we do is essential. And, of course, none of this could happen without our brilliant young musicians and the vibrant, supportive community that is Chetham’s.
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Are you a young musician and are inspired by all we do at Chetham’s? Join us for our next Open Day or book an Advice Audition today.
