Sheffield City Hall celebrates it’s 75^th anniversary with a new era for the Sheffield International Concert Season. The Sheffield International Concert Season has teamed up for a unique partnership with Yorkshire South, the regional tourism agency, which sees them as the season sponsors this year in a move that confirms the concert season as a unique selling point of the region and is at the forefront of City Hall’s priorities.

Richard Jones, Chief Executive of Yorkshire South said “We are absolutely delighted to be able to support one of the premier concert seasons in the North of England. I am confident this partnership will enable the continued overall cultural development of the city and the region and add significantly to the tourism economy.”

With Lesley Garrett raising the curtain in a special Gala performance on the 29^th September; the Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus frequent performers; a new resident orchestra celebrating its 150^th anniversary season; community projects; family concerts; ticket prices at least frozen and many reduced; and all wrapped up in a programme of great artistic diversity, there is no better way to celebrate Sheffield City Hall’s 75^th anniversary season.

The Hallé are welcomed back to the heart of the series as Resident Orchestra in their 150^th season with seven evening concerts, which can be purchased as a newly devised Hallé subscription package. There is also a family concert and an education programme in Sheffield, including collaboration with South Asian Arts UK that brings the great Bhupinder Singh Chaggar to the City Hall stage to perform with Sheffield school children and members of the Hallé during one of their concerts.

The series as a whole focuses on British orchestras and celebrates the great wealth of orchestras in our region with visits from the BBC Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata and Yorkshire’s own Orchestra of Opera North. Two visiting symphony orchestras, one from Poland and one from Russia, maintain the international flavour to the series.

The Sheffield International Concert Season has always proudly presented young artists at the beginning of their careers. Nicola Benedetti already has an international reputation. This young British violinist is committing herself to the new scheme encouraging teenagers to attend concerts. Pre-concert workshops will be open to 11-18 year-olds before all subscription concerts giving them an opportunity to explore the music in the evening’s concert. Nicola Benedetti will visit two schools in Sheffield during her two-concert residency in November to meet the students involved in the scheme.

To encourage young audiences, and young families, City Hall is continuing the successful Children’s Subscription, having introduced greater flexibility into the scheme this year. The season will also present two Family Concerts, performed by the Hallé and BBC Philharmonic orchestra. These Sunday afternoon concerts are programmed and presented to appeal to children of all ages – the perfect introduction to orchestral music for children and the young at heart!

The season will also welcome Ensemble 360 and the City of Sheffield Youth Orchestra to the series, giving Sheffield’s finest musicians the opportunity to perform in the Sheffield International Concert Series and putting the series at the heart of the musical life of the city.

Dominic Stokes General Manager said “After a hugely successful season this year, with subscriptions and total audiences increasing it really is a proud moment for me to announce such a fantastic season. And now working with an organization such as Yorkshire South we will be able to reach an even wider audience and showcase this magnificent venue and the city even more”

The new Season brochures are now available to download at www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk or from the box office.

Tickets costing £5 - £25 are available from Sheffield City Hall Box Office by calling 0114 2 789 789 or online at www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk