The best: Classical music concerts to see in Manchester

From the crashing waves and rushing winds of Debussy’s ode to the might and the magic of the sea, to one of Mahler’s most perfect symphonies, this pair of works both celebrate hope and the healing power of nature Between them, Belfast-born, Manchester-raised Peter Moore performs the RPS Award-winning trombone concerto by Dani Howard.

On Fri 14 Nov, the Kantos Chamber Choir revisits the notorious Salem witch trials in a compelling journey into human nature, drawn from the shocking true stories of a distant age.

Inspired by the Lancashire Trials of 1612, this atmospheric programme contemplates the hysteria of superstition and senseless death through a fusion of modern composition and operatic voice, featuring Camden Reeves’ Spells, Remedies and Potions – described as “Black Sabbath and Metallica but for sopranos” – alongside works by Allegri, Byrd, Hildegard, Wainwright Johnston, and Ellie Slorach’s arrangement of a 17th-century Barbara Strozzi song.

Set against the grandeur of Hallé St Peter’s, Manchester Baroque hosts a celebration of Bach and the composer’s pioneering Concerto No.2, a piece renowned for pushing the Baroque concerto form to its limit.

Also on the evening’s programme is Bach’s Suite in B minor, featuring Manchester Baroque’s flautist Martyn Shaw, alongside concertos by Vivaldi, Telemann and Handel with the group’s leader and artistic director, violinist Pauline Nobes, oboist Michael Niesemann, trumpeter Robert Vanryne, and special guest on recorder, Yasaman Mashhouri.

Described by The Times as ‘the country’s favourite violinist,’ instrumentalist, recording artist and Edinburgh International Festival director Nicola Benedetti returns to Manchester this November for her first solo tour in over a decade.

Performing in Manchester for one night only, she takes The Bridgewater Hall stage with a hand-picked international ensemble and a programme of personal favourites spanning romantic classics, dazzling virtuoso showpieces and the rousing spirit of Scottish folk music.

Coming to The Stoller Hall’s Carole Nash Hall this November is a concert featuring performances of compositions from Chetham students’ own compositions, performed by ensembles of the school’s talented young musicians.

On Thu 27 Nov, the endlessly innovative Manchester Collective joins forces with the versatile Marian Consort vocal ensemble to offer an enchantingly serene reprieve from the festive frenzy with Wintering at Stoller Hall.

Inspired by Katherine May’s titular bestseller, the intimate and restorative concert features a new piece from Samantha Fernando which imagines a world where we abandon our huddled hostility and make peace with the cold, dark days of winter.

Globally-renowned instrumentalist HAUSER brings his new Rebel Is Back Tour to Manchester this November.

A founding member of the lauded Croatian cello duo, 2CELLOS, Stjepan Hauser, known simply as HAUSER, is celebrated for his renditions of classical, pop and rock music, with an eclectic style that pairs cello pyrotechnics with mesmerising elegance.

Forming part of The Hallé’s popular Rush Hour series, which invites guests into a world of classical music as they wait for the post-work rush to die down, this performance offers the chance to hear the magic of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, conducted by Maria Seletskaja, Music Director of the English National Ballet.

Staged in partnership with long-time collaborators Kantos Chamber Choir, Manchester Camerata join forces with world-renowned Handel interpreter Laurence Cummings for a spellbinding candlelit performance of the composer’s greatest triumph, Messiah, in the soaring splendour of The Monastery’s Great Nave.

Two centuries ago, it was the sell-out sensation “too fashionable for church”; today, it remains the beating heart of Christmas tradition. This unmissable seasonal concert offers a blissful reprieve from modernity’s countless obligations and the imminent festive frenzy, with a timeless recital of Handel’s Hallelujah chorus, followed by the radiant ‘For unto us a child is born’.

This December, DJ, broadcaster and global dance titan Pete Tong returns to Manchester with another instalment of his blockbuster Ibiza Classics show, backed by long-time collaborator Jules Buckley and The Essential Orchestra.

Having debuted in 2015 as part of BBC Radio 1’s Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, Ibiza Classics has entertained retired ravers and music-lovers of all tastes around the nation. The unmissable live concert promises a night of unbridled joy and halcyon White Isle nostalgia with a 10-year celebration of the world’s most famous orchestral electronic music event.

Prokofiev’s much-loved comic opera, L’Amour des Trois Oranges, comes to the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) this December, with a new generation of musicians set to bring the iconic tale to life.

Offering the perfect festive day out for opera newcomers and seasoned veterans alike, the production blends classical tradition with modernist bite, bursting with wit, wonder and joyous absurdity.

Trafford Music Service provides music-making, teaching and learning opportunities throughout the borough of Trafford. This December, Stoller Hall’s hosts the organisation’s talented youth groups who will be performing mutiple concerts throughout the day at the venue, with standard tickets just £8.

From the sparkling fantasy of The Nutcracker to the swinging cheer of Duke Ellington, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra’s Christmas Special invites audiences into a winter wonderland of festive music, hosted by a special guest presenter with surprise visitors along the way.

Billed as the perfect way to celebrate the yuletide season with family and friends, this unmissable spectacular brings the spirit of Christmas to life with joyful songs and captivating entertainment.

The Bridgewater Hall Concert Orchestra, a full live band, and soloists Miranda Wilford and Damien Edwards will ring in the new year by performing hits including Love Is in the Air (John Paul Young), Crazy in Love (Beyoncé), All You Need is Love (The Beatles), Copacabana (Barry Manilow), and Cheek to Cheek (Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong).

Trafford Music Service provides music-making, teaching and learning opportunities throughout the borough of Trafford. This December, Stoller Hall’s hosts the organisation’s talented youth groups who will be performing mutiple concerts throughout the day at the venue, with standard tickets just £8.

The Bridgewater Hall’s magnificent organ plays a starring role in this special performance. Katharina Wincor, in her Hallé conducting debut, will be joined by Anna Lapwood to perform Joseph Jongen’s Symphonie concertante. Composed in 1926, this electrifying piece has been cemented as one of the greatest twentieth-century works for organ and orchestra.