New orchestra Trent Sinfonia in search of applicants from Grantham

A former BBC player is inviting people to apply for a new local orchestra.

The improving Covid situation is enabling the return of live music, and a new initiative has been announced to help local instruments join a select group of players to perform concerts in one of the country's finest Georgian town halls.

The new orchestra, Trent Sinfonia, will start rehearsing in September for its inaugural concert, which will take place at Newark Town Hall in early 2023.

Cynthia Fleming will lead the orchestra, and in her professional carer she was the leader of the BBC Concert Orchestra and regularly performed as a soloist with the orchestra at the BBC Proms concerts.

She has also been the guest leader with many other orchestras, including the Hallé and RTÉ Concert Orchestra.

Trent Sinfonia will have two rehearsals each month on Monday evenings in Newark, which will be conducted by Aric Prentice, the director of music at Lincoln Cathedral.

Founder of the orchestra, Malcolm Goodman, said: "With so many very experienced instrumentalists in the area, I'm aware that there are limited opportunities for regular orchestral playing for such players, so hopefully this new orchestra will be very popular.

"Consequently, with fewer monthly rehearsals we’re inviting instrumentalists, especially string players, from Newark, Grantham, Retford, and Lincoln to join the Trent Sinfonia and so help establish a new regular concert season at this historic venue in Newark."

For more information on Trent Sinfonia or to apply for membership email trentsinfonia@malcolmgoodman.com or visit the website www.malcolmgoodman.com