IT’S a concert that both orchestra and its audience seem to have a particular fondness for.

Each year, Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra stages a number of showpiece concerts on the main stage in Huddersfield Town Hall.

But its musicians also play at other events and a favourite with them is clearly the one coming up tomorrow at Slaithwaite.

Each year the orchestra holds this “family concert” on home ground in the Colne Valley village where it is based.

Tomorrow, the musicians will play in St James’ Church, Slaithwaite at 4pm. It’s an ideal time for the whole family to enjoy a concert of light classical music in a really relaxed atmosphere.

After a full musical programme, there will be a buffet and a chance to chat to orchestra members. It’s not hard to see why this is such a popular event both with players and their supporters.

The concert will be conducted by its music director, Benjamin Ellin and there are three soloists.

Orchestra Leader Michele Northam will be joined by principal oboe Trudy Mansfield to play the Bach concerto for violin and oboe in D minor. As a contrast. soprano Cerian Holland, accompanied by the SPO, will sing several contributions from Bach arias to folksongs.

The orchestra’s programme will include music by Delius and by Slaithwaite-born Haydn Wood plus the Overture from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and Bizet’s Symphony in C.

Orchestra leader Michele comes from Worcestershire and did her musical training at Leeds College of Music.

She was then offered a job in RSA at the State Theatre where she played in the opera and ballet orchestra.

Michele then moved to Johannesburg to play in the National Symphony Orchestra where she did concerts with the Three Tenors, Kiri Te Kanawa and a combined concert with the Warsaw Chamber Orchestra conducted by Yehudi Menuhin.

Michele returned to the UK and now teaches for the Kirklees Music School. She also works as a freelance violinist and runs the Serenade String Quartet which plays for weddings and business functions.

Oboe player Trudy grew up in Wetherby and studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Peter Graeme, followed by teacher training at the then, Manchester Polytechnic.

During her time in the city, she performed with Manchester Camerata and the Manchester Mozart Players.

More recently she has played with the South Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra.

At present, in addition to playing Principal Oboe with the SPO, she holds the same position with The Orchestra of the Square Chapel in Halifax, and has been a guest player with Huddersfield Philharmonic.

Since leaving college Trudy has enjoyed a career in education at Kirklees Music School, teaching mainly in the Shelley area.

Since January she has been Head of KMS Shelley Music Centre.

She is married to Simon who plays bass trombone with the orchestra and they have three boys.

Singer Cerian Holland completed her postgraduate studies in performing arts at Laine Theatre Arts and is a graduate of Cambridge University where she studied music and sang as a soprano Choral Scholar in the Chapel Choir (Gonville and Caius College).

She toured and recorded extensively with the choir, broadcasting regularly with Radio 3 (solo and choral) and performing with numerous orchestras and conductors including concerts for the BBC Proms.

Cerian also sang with the Cambridge University Chamber Choir and while training, sang in many musicals and operas.

She also enjoys singing as a soloist and member of the London Contemporary Voices.

Cerian has recently written and released a solo album of inspirational songs entitled, Light of the World.

Tickets are £8.00 for adults (concessions £6). Children attend free with a paying adult. Call 01484 850488.