Atlantic Voyagers

What the concert is

Atlantic Voyagers is the opening concert of the 2026-27 season for St Cecilia Orchestra, the Ripon-based orchestra that plays at Ripon Cathedral and Holy Trinity Church. The programme links three composers across the Atlantic. It begins with Bernstein's Candide overture and continues with Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F. After the interval comes Rachmaninov's Symphony No 2. The soloist is the pianist Martin Roscoe, who has played with the orchestra before. Xenophon Kelsey conducts.

The concert is open to the public and suits all ages. Anyone under 18 gets in free, so it can work as a family evening out if the children enjoy live orchestral music.

Dates and times

There is one performance, on Saturday 17 October 2026 at 7.30pm at Ripon Cathedral. The cathedral lists it as running until about 10pm. Tickets are also sold on the door from 6.45pm on the day.

Tickets and what to expect

Adult tickets start at £20 for unreserved seating. Reserved seats in the nave are priced at £28 at the rear and £35 in front. You can buy online through Ticketsource, and unreserved tickets are also sold at the Little Ripon Bookshop and Harrogate Theatre box office. The Harrogate Theatre listing shows the £20 price and notes the event as suitable for all ages, with no trigger warnings. The cathedral says anyone with access requirements should contact the orchestra in advance so arrangements can be made.

Getting there from Harrogate

The concert is in Ripon, not in Harrogate itself. Ripon is a short journey north of Harrogate by car, taxi or bus. Check the return times before you go, as a concert that finishes around 10pm can leave fewer public transport options. If you are coming from further afield, LNER runs direct trains from London King's Cross to Harrogate roughly hourly, and Leeds is about 35 minutes away. Leeds Bradford Airport is about 30 minutes from Harrogate by taxi. Harrogate station is about a 10-minute walk from the Convention Centre.

Booking early

The reserved nave seats are the limited part of the offer, so book ahead if you want a particular price band or want to sit together. Unreserved seats can be bought on the door, but a mid-October Saturday is a busy time in Harrogate and Ripon, and good accommodation is easier to find when you book early.

Staying with us

Short Stay Harrogate is a family-run company with serviced apartments and townhouses across central Harrogate. They suit couples or small groups who want a kitchen, more space than a hotel room and an easy base for an evening in Ripon. Many of our properties are a short walk from the Convention Centre and the Royal Hall.

After the concert

If you head back to Harrogate afterwards, the town has plenty of restaurants and bars around the centre, and some are open late on a Saturday. If you stay on Sunday morning, the Turkish Baths are a relaxing way to unwind before the journey home.