Derby Concert Orchestra's Children's Christmas Concert

Derby Concert Orchestra are playing a children's concert at Derby Cathedral on Saturday 12 December, from 2:30pm to 3:30pm. It's a relaxed, family-friendly afternoon designed for young children to meet and experience a full orchestra up close, rather than a formal concert. The set mixes orchestral excerpts with popular Christmas tunes, so it's built for little ones to get a feel for how an orchestra works without needing to sit still for a full symphony.

Jack Capstaff conducts, and the DCO describes itself as the leading amateur orchestra for Derby and the surrounding area, with a reputation for high-quality classical performances that are accessible to everyone. This afternoon is part of their 2026-2027 season, and Treetops is the charity of the season. It's a double bill for the ensemble: that evening they stage Christmas with DCO, their annual Christmas Extravaganza, also conducted by Capstaff, which features Tchaikovsky's Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture, excerpts from Copland's Rodeo and a finale of orchestral Christmas favourites.

The children's concert runs from 2:30pm to 3:30pm at Derby Cathedral, 18-19 Iron Gate, DE1 3GP. There's an onsite licensed bar, and wheelchair access is limited, so you'll need to arrange that through the box office.