An orchestra which has been revived to support musicians hit by the pandemic, more than 60 years after is was disbanded, can provide a “cultural voice for Yorkshire and the north of England”, its conductor said.
The newly reformed Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra – which was established in Leeds in 1947 and disbanded in 1955 – has been revived under conductor Ben Crick to support northern musicians who have been hit hardest by the lockdowns.
Mr Crick said: “Despite major cities like Leeds, York and Sheffield, Yorkshire has lacked its own county symphony orchestra for decades.
“It’s really strange considering our size and strength, so I think the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra is potentially one of the most exciting things that lockdown has brought us.”
Mr Crick said Covid-19 has “ripped the bottom out of” the classical music industry and he sees the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra as an opportunity to rebalance the industry’s “London-centricity”.
He said: “Music is the…
