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Manchester Camerata's 40th birthday is just around the corner.  It's been a fabulous four decades so far, and it's shaping up to being an equally amazing time in the future.  We've gathered together some Portraits of Manchester Camerata to show you.  Are you in them?  Do you recall the occasion?

Currently based in the same building as the Royal Northern College of Music, the chamber orchestra also holds concerts at The Bridgewater Hall.  In addition there are residencies in Ulverston, Colne, and Stafford, with other concerts and education events held across the North West of England, Cumbria, North Wales, Cheshire and Staffordshire.  

The renowned Hungarian musician Gábor Takács-Nagy took over as the orchestra's music director in September 2011.  He took over from Douglas Boyd who served as  principal conductor of the orchestra for ten years and who steered the orchestra through testing times to set it on the road to gaining an international reputation as one of the most vibrant, passionate and innovative chamber orchestras in the world.  

Past principal conductors of the orchestra have included Szymon Goldberg, Nicholas Braithwaite, and Sachio Fujioka. Braithwaite had also been principal guest conductor of the orchestra from 1977 to 1984. Nicholas Kraemer is currently the orchestra's principal guest conductor, with Gordan Nikolitch appointed Principal Guest Director of Manchester Camerata in 2006.

The current Leader of Manchester Camerata is the young Venezuelan/Italian violinist, Giovanni Guzzo, who is regarded as one of the most exciting up and coming musicians of his generation.

Since it was formed almost 40 years ago, it has attracted outstanding players, many of whom also have flourishing solo, chamber music and teaching careers alongside their orchestral work.