By Peter Bevan

IT IS pleasing to see that the Witham in Barnard Castle is continuing concerts by Royal Northern Sinfonia chamber ensembles and the Master Musicians’ series.

The Sinfonia visits twice this autumn and winter, with string players on Wednesday, November 26, performing quartets by Haydn (The Lark) and Beethoven (The Harp) and Kodaly’s Duo for violin and cello. On Friday, January 9, quartets by Haydn (No. 42) and Debussy will frame Moeran’s Trio for Strings. Other ensembles will visit later in 2015.

The Master Musicians series continues with the Lee Phang Trio on Wednesday, November 12, performing two Beethoven Trios and others by Mendelssohn and Brahms.

Scottish pianist Murray McLachlan, head of keyboard at Chetham’s School of Music, is undertaking an extensive North-East tour including a date at the Witham on Saturday, December 6, when his programme covers Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Liszt as well as celebrating Scottish composer John McLeod’s 80th birthday with his Piano Sonata No. 5.

The Witham hosts a classical guitar recital on Friday, December 5, when two of the region’s leading classical guitarists, Mark Gaultier and Paul Croft, perform solos by Spanish and South American composers including Tarrega, Torroba, Lauro and Villa-Lobos. Tickets are available from 01833 631 107 or online at thewitham.org.uk.

Following its successful introduction in recent years, Durham University’s Musicon series is to continue to cluster some of its concerts into mini-series. The first, a three-day festival of new music, Hearing Voices, from November 28-30, features quintessential 20th century composers such as Berio, Elliott Carter and Feldman alongside a dozen composers from more recent generations with several world premiere performances.

The three evening recitals all take place in the University Music School in Palace Green next to the cathedral.

The remaining concerts by Emma Kirkby, The Clerks, the Brodsky Quartet and another three-day festival of East Asian music take place in 2015. Full details are in the 20-page brochure or at durham.ac.uk/musicon.concerts.

There continues to be a wide variety of musical events in Durham Cathedral. Among many special events there’s a First World War centenary concert combining music by Tavener, MacMillan and Lobo’s 16th century setting of the Lamentations (Sunday, November 2).

On Saturday, November 15, The Durham Singers with guests present Theatre of Royals with music by Handel, and there’s a free afternoon concert for primary school children and their parents to experience Zadok the Priest, one of the BBC’s Ten Pieces Initiative.

The cathedral choir will include Britten’s Ceremony of Carols in its Christmas concert on Saturday, December 13, and Durham Choral Society performs Messiah on Saturday, January 31.

Tickets for these are available from the World Heritage Site Visitor Centre, 0191 334 3805, or at the door. The full events diary is available by post or email from events@durhamcathedral.co.uk.

English Touring Opera’s visit to the Gala Theatre in Durham features two contrasting operas, both performed in English as usual.

Haydn’s Life on the Moon, on Tuesday, November 4, is a fast-moving comedy; Ottone, one of Handel’s more serious operas, is the following night. Gala box office is 03000 266 600 and details are at galadurham.co.uk.

Finally, Bishop Auckland Choral Society has two concerts in the town hall this season: A Celebration of British Music next Friday, November 7, and the annual Christmas concert of traditional and modern carols on Friday, December 12. Tickets are available from S Hassall on 10388 834359, any choir member or at the door.

Apologies for any omissions, but we would be pleased to hear you organisers and will try to include details in future editions.