A 16-piece chamber orchestra plays music from Christmas films and traditional carols in the nave of Chester Cathedral.
The Christmas Orchestra are back at Chester Cathedral on Thursday 26 November, their third year in a row playing the nave. They've sold out here in 2024 and 2025, so if you're thinking of going, it's worth getting your tickets sorted early.
The show is built around a 16-piece chamber orchestra, backed by full sound production and a lighting show. The set weaves together scores from Christmas films with traditional carols and popular festive classics. On the film side, they're covering Home Alone, Elf, The Holiday, Love Actually, The Muppets, A Christmas Carol, The Nutcracker, Harry Potter, Die Hard 2 and White Christmas. It's a wide-ranging list, and they're played alongside the carols you'd expect to hear this time of year. The organisers do make one point clear: the concerts aren't affiliated with the films or the composers whose music they're covering.
Beyond the music, there's a bit of context to the group. The Christmas Orchestra stages live festive concerts in historic and iconic venues, performed by a group of professional musicians. This Chester date is one of those, with the orchestra playing in the nave of the cathedral. It's the same format they've brought to the city for the last two years.
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There are two concerts on the night, so you can pick the one that suits you best. The first runs from 7pm to 8.15pm, with doors opening at 6.30pm. The second is from 9.15pm to 10.30pm, with doors at 8.45pm. Both are at Chester Cathedral, St Werburgh Street, Chester, CH1 2DY.
