There is a surprisingly large repertoire of string quintets scored for two violins, two violas and a cello, but concerts consisting entirely of such quintets are uncommon.

The NCO String Quintet is formed from the core string players of the Northern Chamber Orchestra which for more than forty years has been noted for the intimacy of its playing.

In recent years, the NCO has made more than thirty exceptional recordings (mostly for the Naxos label) many of which have received the highest accolades from publications such as the Penguin CD Guide, and BBC Music Magazine, and their continental equivalents.