Article published in Manchester Evening News 24th February 2017

TOM Elliott is a violinist who took a break from music – he formed his own company to fit solar panels to houses – but now he’s back with the real mainspring of his life.

He runs the Glossop Music Festival, is married to Hallé principal flute Katherine Baker and dad to their sons Arthur, Henry and Felix, and teaches violin. Most recently he’s become general manager of the Manchester-based Northern Chamber Orchestra.

Tom is a former member of the Academy of St Martin’s in the Fields, and after he and Katherine moved to Glossop, he and others started their own festival there two years ago.

“Running the Glossop Music Festival was my route back into music,” Tom says. “It whetted my appetite and got me in touch with my old friends.

“Last summer I was contacted by the NCO, and I realized this job fulfilled all my passions for making great music with great people.”

He was taking over an ensemble first formed in 1967 and planning for its 50^th anniversary season, to start later this year.

“I’m aiming to build on a reputation which is already second to none,” he says. “We have very loyal audiences, particularly for our concert series in Macclesfield Heritage Centre, and I want to expand what we do.

“My first concert after I joined was with violin soloist Chloë Hanslip, who I played alongside a few years ago, and we will be appearing with her later this year at the new concert hall (The Stoller Hall) at Chetham’s School of Music. There will be further concerts there next season.

“The concert with Chloë is in aid of the Mind Music campaign, raising money for dementia charities, and we are performing for them at the Buxton Festival (the NCO is orchestra in residence) – as well as doing informal concerts and therapy workshops in care homes.

“We have a four-day education project in Stockport, followed by a concert at Stockport town hall. I think it’s rare for a professional orchestra to play there, and it brings educational work together with serious concerts, which I’m very keen on.”

l The Northern Chamber Orchestra appears at Macclesfield Heritage Centre with soloist Steven Osborne on March 4, and at Stockport Town Hall with cellist Matthew Sharp on March 17. On March 21 Raphael Wallfisch, the orchestra’s president, will perform Bach’s six Suites for solo cello at Hallé St Peter’s, Ancoats.