JUST when you thought the curtain had come down on the big seasonal classical music concerts it’s heartening to hear there’s another one on the horizon.

The esteemed Northern Chamber Orchestra, Manchester’s oldest professional chamber orchestra, and virtuoso cellist and baritone, Matthew Sharp, team up for a great night of classical masterpieces from the quills of Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Dvorak, Faure and more at The Forum at Barrow next Wednesday, May 1 (7.30pm).

The NCO has come a long way since it was set up in 1967. Recently appointed Orchestra in Association at The Stoller Hall, Manchester’s newest space for music and performance, it delivers an extensive learning and development programme with schools, colleges and music groups in many of the orchestra’s concert locations; the NCO is the also Orchestra in Residence at Manchester Metropolitan University.

NCO members are all distinguished chamber musicians who regularly appear as soloists and the orchestra's ethos is to provide young people and adults with opportunities to engage with enjoyable and inspiring projects. It is also keen to give emerging new artists performance opportunities.

Matthew is internationally recognised as both a compelling classical artist and a fearless pioneer. He studied cello with Boris Pergamenschikow in Cologne, voice with Ulla Blom in Stockholm and has appeared as solo performer with scores of orchestras; he has also performed principal roles for Opera North, ROH, Almeida Opera and Mahogany Opera Group, among others. On the theatre front, he's performed at the Young Vic and National Theatre Studio.

The Forum’s programming and marketing officer, Joanne Marwood, said that their ongoing partnership with Orchestras Live enabled The Forum to work with some of the leading orchestras in the country. “Working with musicians of this calibre is important for both the venue and Cumbria." Joanne added that they aim to stage more classical concerts: “After two previous successful concerts with the Manchester Camerata, we would love to continue to build on these successes and bring other well-known orchestras to the venue in the future." Box office 01229-820000.