Colegate Nucleo Orchestra

A 17th century parishioner of St Peter Mancroft and buried in the church, Sir Thomas Browne (1605-1682) died on his birthday, 19 October, so members of Sistema in Norwich Colegate Nucleo orchestra will be marking this day with a special concert, introducing new musical director and violinist Juan Gabriel Rojas.

Juan Gabriel learnt violin with El Sistema in Venezuela and then worked for El Sistema in Portugal before coming to Norwich earlier this year. He is accompanied by assistant director, pianist Firdevs Eke and tutor Marcos Garrido on trombone.

The programme has been especially devised with each piece relating in some way to Sir Thomas Browne - his work, his personality or music that he might have listened to himself, with the repertoire adapted to suit the children’s orchestra.

The Colegate Nucleo Orchestra is a teen sistema orchestra where young people 11 to 18 who have been part of Sistema in Norwich can continue to learn to play a musical instrument and be part of an orchestra after they leave primary school. The Colegate Nucleo is based at Martineau Hall in Colegate.