ABO News Autumn 2022
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Welcome to the latest ABO News, bringing you news and stories from the ABO and its members.
Contents
Remembering Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Page 3 Support for Ukraine Page 3
Orchestras on Stage Page 4 Orchestras on Tour Page 6
Digital Orchestras Page 7 Orchestras in Collaboration Page 9 Diverse & Inclusive Orchestras Page 10 Orchestras and the Environment Page 10 Orchestras in the Community Page 11
Youth, Education and Development Page 13 News from the Concert Halls Page 16
Orchestral Awards Page 16 Orchestral Anniversaries Page 17 Research and Innovation Page 18
Orchestral Appointments Page 19 News from the ABO Page 20
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Remembering Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II
Her Majesty The Queen passed away suddenly on 8 September 2022. Since then, musical tributes have been pouring in from all corners of the UK, with performers expressing their condolences to the Royal Family, and mourning the much loved monarch.
The late Queen was a champion of classical music: she regularly attended concerts, encouraged musicians from all walks of life, and bestowed Royal Patronage on several leading British ensembles and institutions. The BBC cancelled the Last Night of the Proms as a mark of respect, and several ABO members took to social media to share their moving musical goodbyes, including Academy of St Martin in the Fields, London Symphony Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, and The Sixteen
Support for Ukraine
English National Ballet marked Ukraine's Independence Day (24 August) by arranging a company photo in the colours of Ukraine. The image was shared on our social media channels to show solidarity for all those affected by the ongoing war.
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© English National Ballet
Aurora Orchestra’s groundbreaking staging of Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall © Aurora
Orchestras On Stage
Academy of Ancient Music announced its 2022 23 Cambridge series, 'Tis nature's voice, a musical exploration of the environment and our place within it.
Aurora Orchestra made its inaugural performance as Resident Orchestra at Southbank Centre with its revelatory staging of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group presented a concert of illusions, a performance filled with uncompromising compositions, live electronics, and reflection on desire and loss.
As Classic FM’s Orchestra in the South of England, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra signposted audience members to a number of recommended concerts.
This Christmas Britten Sinfonia will be joined by the Polyphony choir for Bach's Christmas Oratorio.
City of London Sinfonia presented The Owl and the Nightingale, the first staging of the work by an orchestra. This formed part of its 2022 23 season The World Rediscovered which opened with two concerts at Southwark Cathedral: first, Morning, Noon and Night to take listeners on a musical journey through the day, and Hope for a New Dawn, featuring Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time.
English National Ballet announced the world premiere of Creature at this year’s BFI London Film Festival in October. Its London season includes Ek / Forsythe / Quagebeur at Sadler's Wells, and Nutcracker and Swan Lake at the Coliseum.
Glyndebourne invited audience members a sneak-peek at the creative process behind its Poulenc double-bill of La Voix humaine and Les Mamelles de Tirésias.
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Guildhall School of Music & Drama launched its new season of events including OrchestRAM, and the return of Guildhall Jazz Festival in partnership with the EFG London Jazz Festival.
Irish Association of Youth Orchestra's Wind Ensemble returned to the University of Limerick for a week of rehearsals after three long years.
London Handel Festival launched its 2023 event, Forces of Nature 2023, which includes opening its Handel Opera Studio with a brand new production of In the Realms of Sorrow. London Symphony Orchestra announced its autumn season, including a celebration of the past and future of British Music, Half Six Fix, and free Friday lunchtime concerts.
Glyndebourne’s insight into its production of Poulenc’s Le Voix Humaine gives an insight into various props such as this PTT U43 model telephone © Graham Carlow
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment's autumn season, Songs of Travel, opened with The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, mixing Coleridge's epic with music by Purcell.
The Orchestra of the Swan's 26th season centres on balance, with well known composers like Mendelssohn and Vaughan Williams with less familiar living composers such as Anna Meredith, Jessie Montgomery, and Roderick Williams.
The Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra had its Carnegie Hall debut.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra opened their 2022 23 Journeys of Discovery season in Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall with Music Director, Vasily Petrenko.
Scottish Ensemble's Andrew Berridge shared the aim of his latest curation with the orchestra, Breathe, a free concert series based on using music alongside mindfulness.
Ulster Orchestra gave the public the chance to become performers themselves.
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Orchestras On Tour
Academy of Ancient Music is heading to South America, Italy, Finland, the USA and across Europe on tours with Joshua Bell.
After two years of disrupted travel plans Aurora Orchestra is back on the road this Autumn performing at Bregenz Meisterkonzerte, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, DeSingel Antwerp, and National Concert Hall Dublin.
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra performed a coast to coast tour of the USA the orchestra's first in 24 years.
Chamber Orchestra of Europe recently returned home from a most special project with Sir Simon Rattle, in performances of Richard Strauss' Metamorphosen and Mahler's song cycle Das Lied von der Erde.
Chineke! Junior Orchestra made their international debut opening the Lucerne Festival.
English National Ballet returned to touring for the first time since 2019, with performances of Akram Khan's Giselle in Paris.
English Touring Opera partnered with more than 25 local choirs to present Bach’s powerful St John Passion in towns and cities across the country.
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© Chamber Orchestra of Europe on tour with Sir Simon Rattle earlier this year
© City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s recent USA tour with Principal Guest conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla
Glyndebourne took La bohème on tour this autumn.
The Hallé Youth Choir recently completed a tour of the Eastern Counties, and the Hallé Youth Orchestra toured the East coast of Scotland.
Irish Association of Youth Orchestra's Baroque Orchestra recently travelled to Croatia to perform at the Varaždin Baroque Evening Festival.
London Symphony Orchestra headed on tour to Europe and Japan.
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment announced tour dates in Birmingham, Basingstoke, Stamford and Manchester
Philharmonia Orchestra kicked off its 2022/23 season in London, Bedford, Leicester, Canterbury and Basingstoke.
Digital Orchestras
Chineke! Orchestra announced the release date of its first album as part of a new partnership with record label Decca.
English National Opera's Artistic Director Annilese Miskimmon, spoke on Ed Vaizey's Break Out Culture podcast about the organisation's upcoming opera version of It’s A Wonderful Life.
English Touring Opera released Scene/Unseen on ETO at Home, a new musical about identity, sexuality, and what makes us who we are from Royal & Derngate, Northampton. ETO are also now on TikTok, with exclusive POV content of our touring seasons, digital work, and the ETO team.
Glyndebourne released its new opera-on-demand streaming platform, Glyndebourne Encore. The Hallé released a new recording of Butterworth's A Shropshire Lad
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© The Hallé Youth Choir and Youth Orchestra tour 2022
London Philharmonic Orchestra published the latest edition of its magazine, Tune In, released a recording of its recent live performance of Tippett’s The Midsummer Marriage at the Southbank Centre, and recorded the fourth series of its podcast, LPO Offstage
London Sinfonietta released its video of Steve Reich's minimalist masterpiece, Violin Phase, the latest Untold Stories film of drum'n'bass Southampton local Anil Sood, and season 2 of Couch to Concert, an auditory exercise programme in contemporary classical music.
National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain's Artistic and Educational Director Catherine Arlidge featured in ABRSMs 'Spotlight on Partnerships' Blog, on enticing young musicians to pursue music.
Orchestra of the Swan have reached a 7.6 million audio-streaming audience since January 2021, with their latest two mixtape albums Timelapse and Labyrinths; the 3rd album of the trilogy Echoes will be released on May 5th on the Signum Classics label, supported by a digital concert of the same name.
Philharmonia Orchestra released a new album Beethoven with violinist Charlie Siem
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and their Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan recorded their first album together - also marking Hindoyan's recording debut - and started a blog As part of a new partnership with Medici TV, the orchestra's On Demand concerts will be free to view on the platform for up to 30 days after their release.
Royal Opera House is launching its own streaming service.
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Chineke! Orchestra's debut release with Decca commemorates the 110th anniversary of Samuel Coleridge Taylor's death © Zen Grisdale
Orchestras in Collaboration
A partnership has been announced between the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, and the National Open Youth Orchestra to form the Cardiff NOYO Centre, giving young disabled musicians living in and around Cardiff access to a musical progression route in a world first.
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire have joined forces to offer a unique 1-year training programme for music students and professional musicians looking for a career as performers of contemporary music.
Orchestras and institutions across Manchester joined forces for a classical events programme to mark Classical Music Month, including BBC Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata, Chetham’s School of Music, The Hallé, Manchester Collective, and Royal Northern College of Music, the last featuring a showcase the 2020 and 2021 winners of the college’s prestigious Gold Medal award.
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and The Hallé Choir joined forces for the world premiere performance of Brett Dean's In This Brief Moment.
Garsington Opera and the Philharmonia Orchestra announced their 2023 Season programme including a new production of Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos. Orchestra of the Swan enters its second year in partnership with the Warwick Independent Schools' Foundation, providing access for children and also taking workshops and masterclasses directly to underserved schools in the county.
Scottish Ensemble and senior members of the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland partnered for a 15-minute video of Philip Glass's Symphony No. 3
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A National Open Youth Orchestra Residentlal paving the way to more inclusive musical progression © Jon Furley
Diverse & Inclusive Orchestras
Several ABO member orchestras featured in Donne UK's report on Equality & Diversity in Global Repertoire for the 2021 22 orchestral season.
Chineke! founder Chi-chi Nwanoku CBE chatted to the Financial Times about finally getting a seat at the orchestral top table.
To celebrate black history month Glyndebourne asked a host of black artists to share stories about their journey into opera, and share some of their black heroes.
London Mozart Players will be premiering Polo Piatti’s Libera Nos: the very first multi faith oratorio to be performed anywhere in the world, alongside Hastings Sinfonia, London Euphony Choir, St Richard’s Catholic College Choir and the specially formed Libera Nos Choir.
Announced as London Symphony Orchestra's Associate Artist in May 2022, André J Thomas (below) marked Black History Month with the orchestra.
To honour Black History Month, Scottish Chamber Orchestra looks at the life and work of American composer, pianist and organist Florence Price.
Southbank Centre has teamed up with Apple for a ground-breaking partnership aiming to empower Black creatives in the UK.
Orchestras and the Environment
The Arts Desk caught up with sustainability advisers Sara & Jeremy Eppel on creating eco-friendly opera for Glyndebourne Festival's summer performance of The Wreckers on leading the way towards net zero productions.
Orchestras Live is collaborating with leading arts and technology organisation, Supercool, the Arts Marketing Association and The WOW Foundation, on a digital sustainability project, which will explore how arts organisations can reduce their websites’ environmental footprint.
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LSO Associate Artist André J Thomas is bringing his passion for gospel and contemporary US composers © London Symphony Orchestra
In 2012 Glyndebourne became the first UK arts organisation to generate its own power through its onsite wind turbine © James Bellorini
Orchestras in the Community
For the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group worked on Flourish!, a project to create fanfares inspired by and celebrating the Commonwealth its nations, individuals and values of diversity and tolerance.
English National Ballet invited participants to its ballet, yoga, contemporary, and fitness classes - both in-person and online.
The Hallé's relaxed ensemble performed in Stalybridge Civic Hall as part Greater Manchester's Town of Culture 2022 celebrations.
Irish Association of Youth Orchestras ran a day of masterclasses and workshops on Body Mapping, teaching the art of movement through music.
London Symphony Orchestra launched LSO Pathways, a new talent development scheme for musicians aged 18 and over who aim to play in a professional orchestra.
Manchester Camerata celebrated its community with The People Make the Place, a performance with local choirs, school students, and participants of its dementia Music Café.
Nevis Ensemble moved to Glasgow's East end for the start of its residency with arts centre, Platform.
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Orchestra of the Swan are now delivering four Cafe Muse at its regional residencies; free participative dementia-friendly music cafes with provision of a free lunch.
Red Note Ensemble held its first ever Make Your Own, a new music writing workshop free and open to all, and took part in Go Compose, a 3-day composition course for creative young musicians and composers aged 11-18.
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra launched a year-long partnership with Improving Me, the women’s health and maternity programme for Cheshire and Merseyside ICB, aiming to improve the experiences of women and children.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has launched a community-driven, multi-arts ‘orchestral experience’ in Brent, the London borough set to be the organisation's future home from 2024. Over the summer, the orchestra worked with The Football Association on the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Cultural Programme, celebrating the history, ethos and future of women’s football. Learning resources from the programme have now been shared online.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra partnered with Edinburgh International Film Festival to launch Film Composers Lab, a professional development scheme.
In September Welsh National Opera launched Cradle Choir, a weekly singing group for people living with dementia, as well as those in a caring capacity.
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London Symphony Orchestra new Pathways programme is for musicians who face barriers hindering their development.
Youth, Education & Development
After more than two years of development, Aurora Orchestra has launched its new music programme for schools, and premiered two family performances, The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse, based on Mac Barnett's book, and The Making of the Orchestra with Mason Bates.
This year Bristol Beacon launched Future Proof, its brand new flagship mentoring programme for local music creators aged 18 25.
Birmingham Royal Ballet announced the return of in-person Class on Stage, and have continued its Repertoire Training classes for both adults and children.
Britten Sinfonia announced its 2023 programme for developing composers, Opus 1
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra launched the recruitment for its new CBSO Career Accelerator programme.
Dunedin Consort launched Intrada, a new international artist development programme supporting early career musicians in historically informed performance, run in collaboration with B’Rock Orchestra and Concerto Copenhagen.
English Touring Opera released the new trailer for its upcoming children's opera Tutankhamun's Shoes.
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Royal Philharmonic Orchestra created multi dimensional performances in a car park with Brent and London based communities © Chris Winter
Gabrieli Consort & Players kicked off its Roar project with
first
since 2018. This Christmas, Roar will also be performing In Dulci Jubilo, featuring the music of Michael Praetorius in a belated celebration of the 400th anniversary of the composer’s death.
Black Lives in Music and Guildhall School of Music & Drama's Young Artists launched a conductor in residence initiative with the London Schools Symphony Orchestra.
The Hallé invited teachers and vocal leaders to its year long Leading School Choirs Training Course.
London Mozart Players announced its ambassadorship of Naxos for Education as part of a joint Audience Development Partnership from its 2022 2023 season onwards.
The London Philharmonic Orchestra opened applications for its new Conducting Fellowship offering the development opportunities for two early career conductors from backgrounds currently under represented in the profession.
London Sinfonietta opened applications for its 2023 Academy for emerging instrumentalists to explore, rehearse and perform new music alongside its musicians.
National Children's Orchestra embarked on its summer residential orchestral programmes.
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Elijah in its
residential course
Otis Enokido-Lineham conducting the London Schools Symphony Orchestra earlier this year ©Kevin Leighton
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra has programmed a large selection of Family Concerts this autumn, and announced the appointment of four musicians in it first annual Emerging Musicians Fellowship.
Red Note Ensemble has several ongoing AEP projects: A Child's Guide To Anarchy which sees schoolchildren working alongside composer Brian Irvine and ensemble musicians in a community led multi-media project; Methil take places in five locations across central Scotland to bring back live music at grassroots level; and New Music Makers for young composers in high school to create and explore new music.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Community and Education team, RPO Resound, visited Thorpe Park alongside 8,553 schoolchildren for a day celebrating STEAM education Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. RPO musicians lead activities that engaged the children with orchestral music with interactive performances, trying out musical instruments and having opportunities to make their own compositions.
Scottish Opera offered young female identifying singers the opportunity of a short residency to develop a new opera based on Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad, led by writer Jeanne Pansard Besson and composer Cheryl Frances Hoad.
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The four musicians appointed as Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s first Emerging Musicians Fellows are: Rachael Watson; Cameron Chin See; Angus Bain; and Matthew Brett.
News from the Concert Halls
Bristol Beacon hosted its first drop-in session for Pulse, a new series for adults who wish to improve their health and wellbeing through music and movement. Its annual Summer School also ran, giving over 230 young people the opportunity try an instrument for the first time.
Cadogan Hall announced its autumn series, highlighting performances from Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, and Bath Festival Orchestra.
Southbank Centre's Head of Classical Music Toks Dada spoke to The Guardian about shaping the venue to reflect classical music today. The Centre will play host to the 2023 BAFTAs.
Bristol Beacon's Music Factory and Sound Bites
over 300 children to take their first step into music making.
Orchestral Awards
Outgoing English National Ballet artistic director Tamara Rojo was among those honoured at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards.
English Touring Opera was nominated for two awards at the Young Audiences Music Awards, prizes awarding creativity and innovation worldwide in the field of musical productions for young audiences.
Family Arts Campaign's shortlist for its annual Fantastic For Families Awards includes ABO members' Opera North's Whistle Stop Opera and Sage Gateshead's Early Years Family Programme
The Hallé was awarded a South Bank Sky Arts Award 2022 for its performance of Huw Watkins’s Second Symphony.
Several ABO members commissioned winning works at the 2022 Ivors Academy Awards, including Ex Cathedra, City of London Sinfonia, and London Philharmonic Orchestra.
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Summer Schools welcomed
Opera North’s pictured Whistle Stop Opera has garnered a Family Arts Campaign Award nomination as well as a Theatre of Sanctuary reaccreditation.
Monteverdi Choir & Orchestras, conducted by John Eliot Gardiner, was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance for its rendition of Bach’s St. John Passion
Opera North has retained its Theatre of Sanctuary status after being reaccredited by City of Sanctuary UK for its ongoing work with refugees and asylum seekers. It remains the only opera company in the country to have been recognised in this way.
Sinfonia of London won the Spatial Audio Award at the 2022 Gramophone Awards.
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's Music and Mental Health programme, delivered in partnership with Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust at The Life Rooms, won the President’s Award at the national Festival of Learning awards.
Orchestral Anniversaries
Chamber Orchestra of Europe's residency at the Baden Baden Festspielhaus in July marked the 10th anniversary of the orchestra’s collaboration with Yannick Nézet Séguin.
The Hallé travelled to Nottingham to perform at the Royal Concert Hall to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the orchestra's residency at the venue.
The first Ivors Composer Week has been launched to mark the 20th anniversary of The Ivors Academy Composer Awards.
London Philharmonic Orchestra is back at the Royal Festival Hall with its 90th anniversary season
London Symphony Orchestra celebrated 20 years of LSO St Luke's with special performances from LSO Discovery.
The Mozartists announced its 25th anniversary season
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Royal Philharmonic Orchestra looked back at their 75th anniversary year, including photos and reviews from celebratory concert at the Royal Albert Hall, Great British Music season, an American tour and much more.
Sinfonia Viva is celebrating its 40th Anniversary with a new orchestral commission from Preetha Narayanan.
Chamber Orchestra of Europe’s 10th anniversary concert with Yannick Nézet-Séguin in July.
Research and Innovation
Manchester Camerata teamed up with University of Manchester and the Royal Northern College of Music in The Experiment to investigate the psychological and physiological differences between experiencing live and digital music.
New research from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra suggests more than one in two UK adults (55%) are interested in exploring orchestral music this winter, and that broader manifestations of orchestral music beyond classical repertoire have a vital role to play to attract new audiences.
Welsh National Opera’s results from its ongoing Wellness with WNO programme showed operatic singing techniques improved breathing in 94% of the long COVID participants, and also improved emotional wellbeing.
Orchestral Appointments
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra announced Tom Fetherstonhaugh as 2022/23 Assistant Conductor, and Sehyogue Aulakh and Lila Bhattacherjee as the orchestra’s first BSO Young Associates.
Previously Principal Oboe, Chamber Orchestra of Europe welcomed back François Leleux, this time as soloist and conductor.
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City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Lucy Hollins to lead SO Vocal, the CBSO's unauditioned community choir.
Aaron S. Watkin will be English National Ballet’s new Artistic Director, taking up the position from August 2023.
Roberto Ruisi has been appointed Leader of The Hallé, and Dobrinka Tabakova as Artist in Residence for the 2022 23 season.
London Mozart Players announced Jonathan Bloxham as our Conductor in Residence and Artistic Advisor.
Philharmonia Orchestra announced Artist, Songwriter and Producer Love Ssega as Artist in Residence 2022/23.
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra announced its Artist in Residence, trumpeter Pacho Flores, and pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason as Young Artist in Residence. Royal Opera has appointed Jakub Hrůša as Music Director.
Nevis Ensemble appointed its first assistant artistic director, Derrick Morgan Royal Conservatoire of Scotland awarded composer Errollyn Wallen an honorary doctorate. Welsh National Opera welcomed tenor Thomas Kinch and baritone Dafydd Allen as 2022/2023 Associate Artists.
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Royal Conservatoire of Scotland honoured celebrated composer Errolyn Wallen CBE with an honourary doctorate © Martin Shields
News from the ABO
The ABO have acknowledged the difficult decisions that have been made ACE’s National Portfolio 2023-26. We welcome in particular the investment in youth ensembles and the inclusion of a more diverse range of organisations including Orchestras for All, Manchester Collective, Chineke! Foundation, and National Children’s Orchestra, all of whom are doing inspiring work in widening access to culture across the country. However, whilst welcoming the continued investment in the UK’s classical music sector we are also deeply concerned by the impact of removal from the funded portfolio for some organisations, and significantly reduced funding for others. We are particularly concerned with our members working in opera and contemporary music, where the biggest funding reductions have fallen. Continued support for our sector is particularly needed at a time when orchestras are still in the early stages of recovery, rebuilding the confidence of live audiences and dealing with the headwinds from the cost of living crisis and Brexit. The ABO has called on HM Treasury to extend the temporary 50% uplifted Orchestra Tax Relief (OTR) rate as a critical measure which will allow UK orchestras to rebuild income streams and plan confidently for the future.
Further highlights
• We have signed up to the LIVE Green Beyond Zero Declaration, to deliver measurable and targeted action on climate change. The Declaration, as well as webinars and resources, can be seen here. See how the ABO is working to support members in tackling climate change here.
• As part of the Orchestras in Healthcare and NHS National Performance Advisory Group (NPAG) for Art, Design and Heritage, we responded to Arts Council England’s (ACE) recently published delivery plan for Creative Health and Wellbeing.
• We announced the sixth round of Sirens grants, awarded to orchestras performing music by historic women composers from around the world.
• We announced the participants in the 2022/23 ABO and British Council International Mentoring Programme. Designed to support the development of the next generation of emerging leaders of orchestras, this year’s successful applicants are professionals from Ukraine, Poland, Columbia and Qatar.
CEO Announcement
In November, we were delighted to welcome Judith Webster as our new CEO. Judith has led Music for Youth, the national music education charity which presents the annual MFY Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, for ten years. She brings a wealth of experience having previously developed engagement programmes for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and London Sinfonietta, and designed and directed a post-graduate diploma in Creative Leadership for the Royal College of Music. Read more here.
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