Hyperion Records

The Northwest Chamber Orchestra, a string ensemble of about 20 players, supplemented by additional instrumentation for larger works gave the Seattle-area music lovers the great repertoire of the baroque, classical and modern eras, from the 17th-century Pachelbel Canon to the world premiere of a Philip Glass harpsichord concerto. Founded in 1973 by entrepreneur Louis Richmond, the orchestra quickly found an audience for music that people couldn't get anywhere else. Early concerts at the former ACT Theatre were usually sold out; audiences later followed the orchestra to the Seattle Concert Theatre and then to Kane Hall at the University of Washington. The Orchestra proved an important member of the area's classical scene. Over the years, it recorded such works as the Corelli Christmas Concerto and Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, performing with a lineup of conductors that has extended from founder Louis Richmond through British conductor Alun Francis.