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Music

A Good Company of Musick: Royal Northern Sinfonia with Ben Lunn

17 Jun 2026

7:30pm

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Price
£15
Venue
  • Arts Centre Washington

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Event description

Dive into the North East’s musical past with an unforgettable classical concert as Ben Lunn and Royal Northern Sinfonia join forces for A Company of Musick at Arts Centre Washington.

Sunderland-born composer and conductor Ben Lunn, presents this special showcase, set to be a love letter to his home city and the region. The concert will feature composers with ties to the North East, shining a light on musicians who were once household names and their influence on music to date:

  • Charles Avison (born in Newcastle)
  • John Garth (born in Durham)
  • William Herschel (who moved to Sunderland in 1761)

Lunn will also be conducting RNS in the debut performance of his original composition ANNA MARRA MISSA.

Based on the work of Sunderland’s William Martin (1925 – 2010), the piece has been a labour of love for Lunn which chimes with the poet’s focus on North East heritage and traditions. The piece will be performed by British soprano, Rosalind Dobson.

ANNA MARRA MISSA is commissioned by Royal Northern Sinfonia, with support from the Royal Philharmonic Society.

Ben Lunn

Sunderland-born composer Ben Lunn will be conducting Royal Northern Sinfonia for the first time for A Company of Musick. His music is deeply rooted in his North East and working class heritage, resonating with a strong sense of place.

Having collaborated with musicians from across the world, this concert is set to be a love letter to his home city. Ben’s love of music started with brass bands, something that resonated during his work with Durham Miners’ Association Brass Band. In 2024, he was commissioned by Redhills Durham Miners’ Hall to compose Durham Diptych for the brass band and was performed at Redhills in October last year.

Founder of the Disabled Artists Network, Lunn is also a great advocate for others. His compositions thoughtfully explore the impact of disability and lived experience while he works to support other artists in their creative and professional work.

Royal Northern Sinfonia

From their home at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Royal Northern Sinfonia share the joy and wonder of orchestral music with thousands of people across the North of England – and beyond – every year.

Founded in 1958, RNS has built a worldwide reputation for the North East through the quality of its music-making and the immediacy of the connections the musicians make with audiences.

The orchestra regularly flies the flag for the region at major festivals. They appear frequently at venues and festivals in Europe, including La folle journée in Nantes. In recent seasons they have toured to Vienna, Budapest, Istanbul and Tokyo.

RNS has worked with many international conductors and soloists including Christian Tetzlaff, Sir Roger Norrington, Paul McCreesh, Jess Gillam, Nicholas McGegan, Mahan Esfahani, Viktoria Mullova and Jessica Cottis, and also collaborated with leading popular voices such as Sting, Ben Folds, John Grant, Mercury Rev, Field Music and Maxïmo Park.

In order to engage with the widest possible range of artists and audience, in 2018 RNS founded its inclusive ensemble RNS Moves, and also increasingly programmes accessible and relaxed performances throughout the season.