TOP British orchestras rarely visit provincial towns and cities, apart from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Hall, which may be due to a deliberate pricing policy. This results in us hearing more European ensembles, particularly those from Eastern Europe.

The 2000-1 season of Middlesbrough town hall classical concerts starts with a visit by the Czech National orchestra on October 19. Founded in 1993, it has very high standards and a unique sound.

The programme has strong American connections, not surprising as the conductor, Paul Freeman, is from the USA, starting with the rarely-heard Samuel Barber's 1st Symphony, a fine work from a composer whose Adagio for Strings and Violin Concerto are among the most enjoyable of 20th century music.

There's an American connection, too, in Dvorak's 9th Symphony, best known as the New World. The Chinese-born, Yui Ma, is the soloist in Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major with its often tongue-in-cheek jazz rhythms and engaging tunes.

The ever-popular Royal Liverpool Philharmonic performs on December 5 with Julian Lloyd Webber as soloist in the Shostakovich 1st Cello Concerto, another marvellous 20th century work. Brahms' St Anthony Chorale Variations opens, followed by two great geniuses, Mozart and Beethoven, with Symphony No 32 in G and the 5th Symphony respectively. Douglas Bostock directs.

CD collectors know all about the talented Theodor Kuchner, another American, and his National Symphony orchestra of the Ukraine through the 50 or more recordings for Naxos and Marco Polo. Soloist in the richly melodic Brahms' Violin Concerto will be Oleh Krysa, a Ukrainian-American violinist who studied with the late, great David Oistrakh.

The Russian Symphony orchestra, formed only in 1990, has high status as one of Russia's best. Mark Gorenstein, will direct an all-Russian programme starting with Tchai-kovsky's Nutcracker Suite and ending with Mussorgsky's colourful and descriptive Pictures at an Exhibition.

The outstanding Russian pianist, Dimitri Alexeev, prizewinner in the Paris and Moscow and 1975 Leeds International competitions, will play the Piano Concerto op 20 by Scriabin to bring the season to a close on April 4.

Ring 01642 515606 for full details and bookings.