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ABO News Summer 2022 1

Welcome to the latest ABO News, bringing you news and stories from the ABO and its members. Contents Support for Ukraine

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COVID-19 Sector Recovery

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Orchestras on Stage

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Orchestras on Tour

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Digital Orchestra

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Orchestras in the Community

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Youth, Education and Development

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Orchestras in Collaboration

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News from the Concert Halls

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Orchestral Awards

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Orchestral Anniversaries

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Research and Innovation

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Orchestras and the Environment

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Orchestral Appointments

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News from the ABO

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Support for Ukraine Bristol Beacon hosted a Ukraine benefit event in May with folk, spoken word, and classical music. British Council has kicked off the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture, a new programme, running until March 2023, to support the Ukrainian arts sector, in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute.

London Symphony Orchestra musicians and international artists gathered to raise funds for the DEC's Ukraine Humanitarium Appeal. Orchestra of the Swan performed a concert in collaboration with Stratford Music Festival and the RSC, and helped raise over £30,000 for the DEC.

Michael Collins performs Mozart for DEC © Orchestra of the Swan

Students and staff from Royal College of Music performed chamber music from around the world, inspired by the concert's theme of "Hope." Stars of the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet joined forces with the Paris Opera Ballet for a fundraising gala, Dance for Ukraine. Southbank Centre staged Slava Ukraini ("Glory to Ukraine"), featuring musicians from the London Contemporary Orchestra. The ABO were delighted to have worked with Barbara Keeley MP, Shadow Arts Minister and Co-Chair of the Classical Music APPG, to secure agreement from the Home Office to waive visa fees of over £18,000 and assist with expediting the visa applications for the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra and the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra touring to the UK this summer and Autumn.

COVID-19: Sector Recovery Royal Philharmonic Orchestra researched public engagement with orchestral music post-pandemic - the report found interest in the genre had grown regionally and among traditionally less-engaged audiences. © London Symphony Orchestra

Orchestras On Stage Academy of Ancient Music has unveiled plans for the first part of its 2022/23 London series, and the Cambridge concert series entitled ‘Tis nature’s voice. The first half of BBC Philharmonic's new 2022/23 season at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall is now on sale. This year’s eight-week BBC Proms celebration will feature 84 concerts, featuring many ABO members, and will feature large-scale repertoire not heard at the festival since 2019. There is also set to be a BBC Young Composer Prom for the first time ever, and the first concert dedicated to video game music. Birmingham Contemporary Music Group’s announced its Summer/Winter 2022 season. On Your Marks!, Birmingham Royal Ballet's triple bill, ran in June - check out the pictures here. BRB also performed Don Quixote in early July. Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2022/23 season, including two world premieres by Ukrainian composers. City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra announced its 2022-2023 season, and rounded off its centenary celebrations with the final six Centenary Commissions.. City of London Sinfonia released its 2022/23 Season, The World Rediscovered. The Proms are back! © BBC

Dunedin Consort released a trailer to celebrate its 2022/23 season. English National Ballet performed Cinderella at the Royal Albert Hall in June. Guildhall School of Music & Drama launched it summer season, including a Chamber Music Festival. Hallé Orchestra presented its first full season of Manchester concerts for three years, and held the Second International Conductors Competition. Hebrides Ensemble is performing as part of the Edinburgh International Festival’s 75th anniversary programme. National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain welcomed back its weekend Projects orchestras to Bolton, Birmingham and two venues in London including music by Florence Price, Aram Khachaturian, and a specially-commissioned pieces by Ryan Linham. Northern Chamber Orchestra has announced its 2022-23 season, entitled “Orchestrating the Future”, following its move to the new auditorium at The Kings’ School and St Michael's Church, Macclesfield. Opera North and Kirklees Council announced the 2022-23 season, leading into borough's Year of Music 2023. The orchestra will also close the annual long weekend in Millennium Square, Leeds on Sunday 24 July with Opera in the City, alfresco-style. Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment's recent seasons have been inspired by different aspects of Enlightenment thinking. Its 2022/23 season, the sixth and final chapter, will look at Songs of Travel.

National Children’s Orchestra’s recent Projects with Nate Holder and Ryan Linham © NCOGB 5

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra during its 2021-2022 season © Mark Allan

Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra's Summer Series is taking place in the new Olivier Hall at St Edward’s School, Oxford. Philharmonia Orchestra have commenced their 2022/23 season, including Mahler at the Royal Festival Hall, Scriabin in a Peckham car park, and opera at Garsington. Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan released their 2022/23 season, including the announcement of trumpeter Pacho Flores as Artist in Residence. Royal Opera House is to add age ratings to its performances. In its first full London season since the pandemic began, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra celebrated the themes of freedom, hope and adventure with music from composers who have defined the landscape of British music. Spitalfields Music summer festival includes why Bach’s music is mathematically perfect, jazz reimagining of St. Francis of Assisi’s prayer The Canticle of the Sun, a concert of overlooked women composers, and a performance of Afghan traditional songs. The Sixteen's 2022 Choral Pilgrimage sees a programme of English choral music centred around Hubert Parry's emotional Songs of Farewell. Welsh National Opera's new opera Migrations, comprising music by Will Todd and stories by six different writers telling six different interacting stories, opened in June.

Orchestras On Tour Academy of St Martin in the Fields are touring to South American & Italy, and Finland. Chamber Orchestra of Europe recently returned home from a special tour with Sir Simon Rattle. The English Concert will perform at Garsington Opera, Cheltenham Music Festival, and Buxton Festival this summer.

English National Ballet will take Raymonda on tour to Madrid next year. English Sinfonia announced a new residency at the Elgiva Theatre, Chesham.

English Touring Opera celebrated Easter with Bach's St John Passion, and released its Autumn 2022 programme, including three operas by Handel. Glyndebourne onTour returns in autumn 2022 with performances at Canterbury, Milton Keynes, Norwich and Liverpool. London Mozart Players have a busy summer lined up, including performances with Jess Gillam at Deal Festival, and Cheltenham Music Festival. Heralded as "the best new British opera in years", London Sinfonietta's Violet toured Aldeburgh, Cardiff, Mold, London, and Buxton.

Monteverdi Choir & Orchestras on tour © Frederike van der Straeten

Monteverdi Choir & Orchestras travelled to Germany to perform Brahms and Mendelssohn alongside the Berlin Philharmonic. Orchestra of the Swan will perform at a new 500-seat green venue, in the heart of the Cotswolds this summer: The Amphitheatre at Berrybank Park. This season Philharmonia Orchestra will be performing in Canterbury, Basingstoke, Bedford, and Leicester. Red Note Ensemble returned to the Highlands and Islands for its Good Company Tour. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra completed its first major European tour since the pandemic with ten concerts across Germany, conducted by Vasily Petrenko. Royal Scottish National Orchestra are hitting the road for its summer tour, including a performance at East Neuk Festival, and has opened ticket sales for performances in Dundee, Aberdeen and Perth.

Scottish Ensemble got back on the road … across the USA. Scottish Opera performed at Perth Festival of the Arts 50th Anniversary, and will return to Lammermuir Festival in September with Jules Massenet’s Thérèse.

Digital Orchestras Gramophone published a feature on Academy of Ancient Music's odd-defying Mozart pandemic project. Academy of St Martin in the Fields's film A London Dream premiered on Sky Arts UK in June. © Academy of Ancient Music

Fans are able to experience BBC National Orchestra of Wales from its home rehearsal space at Hoddinott Hall with its new series of digital performances. Explore the coastlines of Wales and dive into the Wonders of the Celtic Deep, with music by Paul Mealor and BBC National Orchestra of Wales. The English Concert's recording of Handel's La Resurrezione was featured in Gramophone Editor’s Choice Recording of the Month for June 2022. The Glasgow Barons will perform as part of the Govan Music Festival 2022. Glyndebourne presented an array of art for attendees to enjoy in person and online. To get listeners in the mood for its 2022/23 season, Hallé Orchestra put together an Apple Music playlist featuring albums on its record label. Hebrides Ensembles released its fifth instalment of composer portraits, comprising music inspired by nature and myth by the Scottish composer Stuart MacRae. La Serenissima have released a new recording, Vivaldi's Women.

London Philharmonic Orchestra continued adding content to Marquee TV, including performances of Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 5 and Mozart's Requiem. London Symphony Orchestra premiered UAE composer Mohammed Fairouz's new Symphony #5 for free online as part of Abu Dhabi's Festival 2022, celebrating the city's recent designation as a City of Music by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Manchester Collective released its second album, Shades, as part of the next collaborative chapter with the British composer Edmund Finnis. Two Monteverdi Choir & Orchestras opera films, L’orfeo and Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, are out now on DVD and Blu-ray. Royal Scottish National Orchestra celebrated the talents of child prodigy Felix Mendelssohn with an online weekender. Scottish Ballet toured with The Scandal at Mayerling, a visceral performance that had never before been produced in the UK outside of London. Scottish Ensemble released the film Reveal, the latest stage of the orchestra's collaboration with artist Jyll Bradley, composer Anna Clyne and violist Jane Atkins, and a short music video using Philip Glass' Symphony No. 3. Scottish National Jazz Orchestra released its St Giles' Cathedral concert series on CD, Where Rivers Meet. © Scottish Ensemble

Orchestras in the Community Bath Philharmonia joined forces with 110 students from local schools as part of the School Voices project. BBC Philharmonic Orchestra launched The Weekend Orchestra, inviting instrumentalists and singers of all abilities to perform in Salford in September. As part of Dementia Action week, Bristol Beacon highlighted its work on Our Music Club, comprising weekly sessions of creative activity and live music to people living with dementia, their carers and supporters. Help Musicians recognised Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK with the launch of a digital mental health platform. Royal Northern College of Music students and alumni performed as part of Migrant Voices, a five-day artist residency celebrating the diversity of people and their music across Greater Manchester. Royal Scottish National Orchestra celebrated five years of the Scottish Government’s Baby Box, adding two newly recorded tracks to its Astar app, and marked the centenary of composer George Walker’s birth by announcing a new recording of his Lyric with Linn Records.

Bath Philharmonia’s School Voices project © Bath Festivals

Aurora’s Schumann and Pepper the Monkey © Aurora Orchestra

Youth, Education & Development Aurora Orchestra continued with their programme for children with Schumann and Pepper the Monkey, and teamed up with Peppa Pig for My First Concert Tour. BBC Concert Orchestra commenced their 3-year Great Yarmouth residency through concerts with important environmental messages to 500 primary school pupils. Bristol Beacon is bringing 4500 primary school children together as part of its Earthsong Programme which aims to guide children, particularly those from disadvantaged areas, through a 5-year music education programme. DCMS and DfE have published their national plan for music education setting out their vision for boosting young people’s access to music, including £25m for instruments. English National Opera is to release a TV show on Sky to introduce children to opera. BBC Concert Orchestra’s Create Yarmouth project © Orchestras Live

This spring, English Touring Opera performed The Firebird as a puppet opera, and created a multimedia version of Handel’s Amadigi di Gaula for 8-14 year olds. ETO will take families on an adventure to Ancient Egypt and the Roaring Twenties this autumn in its new interactive children's opera, Tutankhamun’s Shoes. The organisation also has a range of Learn at Home resources for children from 3+. Gabrieli launched a new appeal, Roar: All Set, to help 170 young singers from youth choirs across the UK to join our professional musicians and world-class soloists at our first Roar residential course since 2018. London Chamber Orchestra has announced the first cohort to take part in its LCO New scheme, an initiative designed to support emerging composers. London Sinfonietta's Academy 2022/23 culminated in a performance entitled Musicians of Tomorrow. Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra's Side-by-Side scheme is well underway, and has welcomed many young musicians from in and around Oxford to play alongside the orchestra. The orchestra also held its third and final FUNomusica Family Concert of the season.

The Mozartists' latest outreach workshops, in partnership with Ealing Music Service and John Lyon's Charity, are now underway, have seen the orchestra working with over 1200 children this term, including new SEND workshops. The Welsh National Plan for Music Education has been released, the first ever to be produced by the Welsh Government. At the heart of the plan is that there will be ‘equality by ensuring access for all learners to play, sing, take part, progress and create music’.

Young people from two Leicestershire schools have worked with Philharmonia musicians, hip-hop, reggae and spoken word artists to create Symphonize. Royal College of Music has been ranked as the top school for Performing Arts worldwide. Royal Northern College of Music's new Young Artists programme for musicians aged 11-18 will be funded by Sony Music's UK Social Justice Fund. Royal Scottish National Orchestra have launched Immerse, its full-orchestra project that enables upper secondary school music pupils to experience the excitement of a live orchestra up close in concert. BambinO, Scottish Opera’s critically acclaimed ‘opera for babies’, is touring to East Kilbride, Perth, Inverness, Banchory, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Motherwell and Renfrew this summer. Sinfonia Cymru's annual project for primary schools across Powys, featured the story of the first Welsh settlers in Patagonia and their voyage on the Mimosa in 1865. Ulster Orchestra ran its first-ever four-day masterclass in Belfast, in collaboration with Cardiff International Academy of Conducting. The orchestra was also able to return to inperson projects as part of its educational programme, Crescendo. 14

Orchestras in Collaboration Manchester Camerata and Orchestras Live partnered on Create Space, an exciting project exploring new ways of presenting digital orchestral music. The two organisations also premiered a ground-breaking musical film, BREATHE, exploring the theme of togetherness in a profound and moving new cinematic experience. Co-produced by Norfolk & Norwich Festival and Orchestras Live in partnership with Norfolk Music Hub, local young musicians performed with Britten Sinfonia and led audiences on a musical journey from the sea to the city.

Live theatre, music and opera are back in Glasgow this summer, with Scottish Opera's outdoor celebration in collaboration with Scottish Ensemble and Citizens Theatre.

Southbank Centre and PRS Foundation's presented their critically-acclaimed New Music Biennial 2022 in partnership with Coventry UK City of Culture, BBC Radio 3 and NMC Recordings and with support from Arts Council of England, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Paul Hamlyn Foundation. The festival featured works commissioned by ABO members BBC Concert Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Manchester Camerata, National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, and Opera North.

News from the Concert Halls Aurora Orchestra announced it will join Southbank Centre’s roster of Resident Orchestras from autumn 2022, and will also renew its 15-year partnership with Kings Place as Resident Ensemble. Barbican announced details for its programme in autumn and winter 2022. Bristol Beacon shared a transformation update in their renovation: scaffolding has been coming down internally and externally, revealing not only the scale of the work, but restored Victorian features. Cadogan Hall published a varied summer programme.

Orchestral Awards Several ABO members were recognised at the Queen's Birthday Honours. Our congratulations go to: Chi-chi Nwanoku, founder and Artistic Director of the Chineke! Foundation on the award of a CBE; Harry Bicket, Artistic Director of The English Concert who was awarded an OBE; and Julia Desbruslais, former Executive Director of London Mozart Players, who was awarded an MBE. Other good friends of the ABO who received honours include David Jackson, Artistic Director of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World (and former interim Director of BBC National Orchestra of Wales), who was an awarded an OBE; Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, who was awarded a CBE; Former Northern Ballet Artistic Director David Nixon who was awarded CBE; and Sir Stephen Hough, who was awarded a knighthood. The winners of the 17th annual BBC Music Magazine Awards included the Orchestral Award going to Sinfonia of London and conductor John Wilson for their recording of Dutilleux‘s Le Loup, while the Choral Award goes to emotive performances of JS Bach‘s Cantatas, BWV 32, 82 & 106 by the Dunedin Consort. 16

Bristol Beacon won a Transform branding award for the best charity visual identity in Europe. Hallé Orchestra announced this year’s winner of The Terence Judd-Hallé Award was Italian pianist Alexander Gadjiev. Bass-Baritone Michael Ronan won the Royal Academy of Music's 2022 Bicentenary Prize. The winners of Royal Northern College of Music's 2022 Creative Innovator Awards were announced, recognising students who excel in creative ambition and entrepreneurship. Trinity Laban Conservatoire's Meridian Guitar Quartet was named winner of the institution's Carne Trust Chamber Competition 2022.

Orchestral Anniversaries The BBC celebrates its centenary this year, so BBC National Orchestra of Wales asked orchestra and chorus members what their best moments have been so far. Gabrieli returned to Manchester, the city that saw the ensemble's first ever performance, to mark their 40th Anniversary. Sage Gateshead celebrated 10 years of its In Harmony programme with a five-week Birthday Festival. Scottish Opera unveiled its 2022/23 60th anniversary season which includes four new productions, the world premiere of a Young Company production, and two Highlights tours. 17

Sinfonia Cymru launched Mainly Village Halls Tour, its postponed 25th anniversary tour of 20 rural venues in Wales. Sinfonia Viva celebrated its 40th anniversary with a concert at Derby Cathedral in May, comprising a diverse programme of newly-commissioned work in harmony with seasoned favourites, highlighting the orchestra's continued commitment to inclusion. Birmingham Contemporary at Bristol’s New Music festival © Mark Small

Research and Innovation A new Arts Council England study has found that private arts funding is increasingly reliant on an organisation showing its social impact. Bristol Beacon's innovative New Music festival gained national and international recognition, with a 4 star review in The Times, and this review in The Guardian. City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra have launched Synesthesia, a free, browserbased tool that lets you turn your drawings into music. The top compositions from May were performed in a concert at the end of the month. Manchester Camerata and The University of Manchester announced Music in Mind Remote, a new company founded to create an app bringing our renowned programme for people living with dementia to a nationwide audience. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Royal Northern College of Music have consolidated positions as leading institutions for research activity, following the results of 2021 Research Excellence Framework. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland launched a new two-year pilot programme to support the innovation potential of students, staff and recent alumni. Royal Northern College of Music students performed a special concert showcasing preliminary findings of an international study into music and Parkinson’s. 18

Orchestras and the Environment London Symphony Orchestra put together this ocean-related Spotify playlist to celebrate World Ocean Day. Sinfonia Cymru kicked off its 2022 programme with Songs for the Earth, exploring our need to connect with nature. Trinity Laban Conservatoire students collaborated with leading artists and local young people in Hope 4 Justice, two mass protest performances about the climate emergency.

Orchestral Appointments Sakari Oramo has extended his contract as BBC Symphony Orchestra chief conductor to 2026. City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra announced its 2022/23 Assistant Conductors cohort. English Sinfonia welcomed Chris Hopkins as Principal Conductor and Nicholas Korth as Composer in Residence. London Symphony Orchestra named leading American composer and conductor André J Thomas as Associate Artist, and introduced its LSO SoundHub Associates: Arthur Keegan-Bole, Marilyn Herman, Alex Groves, and Joe Bates. As part of the LSO Panufnik Composers Scheme, Christian Drew and Stef Conner have been commissioned to write new works for the orchestra. Opera North has appointed sitarist and composer Jasdeep Singh Degun as artist in residence. 19

Northern Ballet welcomed new Artistic Director Federico Bonelli. Ashley Dixon has changed from Principal Dancer to the role of Principal Character Artist and Assistant Rehearsal Director. Royal Academy of Music announced cello alumnus Sheku Kanneh-Mason as its first Menuhin Visiting Professor of Performance Mentoring. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland appointed Nicola Benedetti as Honorary President and Bridget McConnell as an Honorary Vice President, and named multi-instrumentalist Mike Vass as the first Associate Artist in Traditional Music.

Agata Zając has been named as Royal Northern College of Music's Mills Williams Junior Fellow in Conducting. Royal Scottish National Orchestra announced Jay Capperauld as Associate Composer, taking over from Anna Clyne. Raphael Wallfisch was appointed as Trinity Laban Conservatoire's International Chair of Violoncello and Chamber Music

News from the ABO In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the ABO acted quickly to issue a statement and hold two emergency member roundtables to discuss the impact on the orchestral sector of the war. We continue to work with our members across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and with our partners in the UK and abroad, attending meetings and events including the ACE Fair & Inclusive Classical Music Group; Pearle* Gender Equality launch event; RPS seminar on the Healing Power of Music; Music Education Partnership Group; the Family Arts Campaign; the LIVE and Black Lives Matter Race and Ethnicity Language Workshop; and the Act Green survey results launch event. We also convened Classical Music and Opera Sector Roundtables with Shadow Arts Minister Barbara Keeley MP discussing issues of Covid-19 Impact and Recovery; Brexit and International Touring; EDI and Social Mobility; Music Education; and the Levelling Up agenda. ABO also hosted the 63rd Pearle* European Live Performance Association Conference in Manchester in May; spoke about diversity at the Deutscher Orchestertag 2022 in Berlin; and chaired the Global Orchestras Meet Up at Classical:NEXT 2022 in Hannover. ABO’s leadership training and development initiatives continue including our international mentoring collaboration with the British Council and ABO’s Find Your Way leadership development programme, as well as promoting women composers through our Sirens fund. ABO members were amongst the first live performance groups to tour internationally since Brexit, having toured to over 21 countries in Europe and further afield. They have been doing this, however, at considerable added cost and administrative burden as a result of the UK EU TCA and EU Member State regulations. The sector is far from having returned to ‘business as usual’, and international touring continues to recover from the effects of the pandemic. As foreign touring remains a key source of income for British orchestras, we continue to work closely with UK Government as well as partners across the wider cultural sector, seeking practical solutions to the continued post Brexit challenges facing ABO members relating to inward and outward mobility, road haulage and customs. We’re delighted to see audiences returning to concert halls, however the latest figures shared at ABO’s Audience Summit held in April show that there continues to be a core audience who are not returning to live music events, and this is even more the case for classical music core audiences. Audience attendance is still consistently a third down and ‘Living with Covid’ continues to result in cases of infection amongst players who must be replaced as well as cancelled or rescheduled engagements. In addressing the additional challenges of recruitment post pandemic, we continue to emphasise the importance of investing in music education, particularly in light of the recently published refreshed [cont.] 21

National Plan for Music Education. We continue to call for HM Treasury to extend the temporary Orchestra Tax Relief (OTR) 50% rate to 2024 or beyond, which can play a critical role in supporting sector recovery and building sector resilience. As the Secretariat of the Classical Music APPG, we convened a well-attended, and the first in person meeting of the Group since the pandemic, in May. During the meeting we discussed the classical music sector’s response to the invasion of Ukraine and heard first hand from Elena Dubinets, Artistic Director of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. We are delighted to welcome two new Officers to the Group - Simon Baynes MP as Vice-Chair and Rt Hon Lord Tyrie as an Officer.

CEO Announcement ABO's Chief Executive, Mark Pemberton OBE, has announced that he will be leaving at the end of September, after 15 years at the helm. The ABO board is hugely grateful for all that Mark has achieved these past 15 years - read the full press release here. Recruitment for a new Chief Executive is now underway and is a rare and exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in ensuring the continuing health and success of the UK’s orchestral sector. The application pack can be found here. Applications close on Friday 22 July 2022.