A New Season Begins: Where the water flows...

Sheffield Chamber Orchestra is delighted to open its 2025–26 season on Saturday 29 November 2025, marking the start of another year of musical discovery and celebration. This concert is particularly special, as it launches Laurence Perkins’ second season as Musical Director – a role in which he continues to inspire players and audiences alike with his passion, insight, and imaginative programming.

The opening concert promises an evening of variety and richness, bringing together some of the greatest voices in music history. The programme features works by Mendelssohn, Wagner, Telemann, Ruth Gipps, William Sterndale Bennett and Johann Strauss II – an exciting mix of beloved classics and lesser-heard gems that highlight the orchestra’s versatility.

At the heart of the concert is a world premiere: Sunset at Sea, a new work by composer Dominic McGonigal. This evocative piece captures the shifting moods and colours of the ocean, inviting the audience on a journey through light, atmosphere and emotion. It’s a privilege for the orchestra to bring this new composition to life for the very first time, and to celebrate the ongoing importance of new music in today’s concert halls.

The November concert is just the beginning of a thrilling season that also includes Beethoven, Brahms and Bruch in March 2026 with violinist Esme Greenwood, and a spectacular finale in June 2026 with Haydn’s The Creation, conducted by John Lyon and featuring Steel City Choristers.

With three concerts, eleven composers, and one Sheffield Chamber Orchestra, the 2025–26 season is set to be one of our most ambitious yet.

Season tickets are available now, offering 25% savings and ensuring your seat at every concert in this exciting season.

We can’t wait to welcome you in November to begin the journey.