Macclesfield Contemporary Ensemble is the youngest section of KEMS, as we have only been playing together for just over ten years!
We started meeting together after a request for a workshop on the minimalist piece In C by Terry Riley – this was led by our Orchestral Director, Anthony Houghton. After this, several of us started meeting together to keep exploring In C and other small-scale contemporary pieces which usually require flexible instrumentation and sometimes are a little bit experimental. For instance, our recent repertoire has included works by Paul Burnell, Howard Jones, Phil Cashian, John Cage and Mark Hendriks.
The Ensemble is led by Julia Harding who is also the Musical Director of Macclesfield Concert Band. We are a friendly, enthusiastic and welcoming group of people, and we encourage each other to ‘have a go’ in a supportive and friendly atmosphere.
We’ve been part of the Contemporary Music Making for All Festival (CoMA) and played in some unusual places including Chester Cathedral, The Lowry, the Devonshire Dome in Buxton and, most recently, the Pump Room in Buxton! We normally give one performance per year.
The Ensemble meets on Sunday afternoons – usually we start with playing In C which sounds different every time we play it!
We are always pleased to welcome new players who would enjoy trying something a little bit different.
We currently rehearse at St Peter’s Church, Windmill Street, Macclesfield, SK11 7HS in alternate months.
If you are interested in learning more about joining, please contact us before coming to a rehearsal – this is so that we can ensure that we have the correct parts for your instruments.
Musical Director
Julia Harding studied at Dartington College of Arts followed by MAs at the Universities of Reading and Sheffield – a clarinet and saxophone specialist, she also plays the recorder, guitar, oboe, flute, ukulele and viola.
After studying for a PGCE, Julia worked in primary education as a classroom teacher – she is a now a manager for Entrust Music Service Staffordshire, teaching instrumental and curriculum music in several Staffordshire schools.
Julia is the leader of KEMS Contemporary and joint Musical Director of the Macclesfield Branch of the Society of Recorder Players, in addition to being a member of KEMS Macclesfield Symphony Orchestra. Until June 2025, she was Conductor of Newcastle-under-Lyme String Orchestra. She has performed with the Beckford String Quartet, KEMS Macclesfield Concert Band and Newcastle-under-Lyme String Orchestra as a soloist and is particularly interested in the flute and clarinet duet repertoire which she performs with her duet partner, Tim Ward. Other projects have included compositions for KEMS Contemporary in collaboration with sculptor and environmental artist Lorna Green, which have been performed at Manchester Art Gallery, Chester Cathedral, Buxton Fringe Festival and Bollington Festival.