News from the ABO
#AnOrchestraInEverySchool Campaign
As part of the ABO’s #AnOrchestraInEverySchool campaign, UK orchestras and ensembles, in collaboration with schools and music educators, will set out to deliver over a thousand live music making opportunities in 2025, and have pledged to give over one million children and young people the opportunity to experience the joy and power of live music, no matter their school resources, abilities or disability. Over the summer the campaign showcased the live music making opportunities available to children and young people during the school summer holidays. The campaign calls on UK Government to ensure a minimum of 2 hours of active music making per week for under 16s and access to live music making for all schools.
ABO Welcomes EU UK Summit Touring Commitment
The ABO welcomes the commitment made between the UK and EU to tackle touring EU barriers, following the EU UK May Summit in London. With over 550 organisations and individuals working across the UK and EU music industries having signed this open letter, musicians and industry leaders from the UK and Europe have joined forces to demand urgent action to remove the barriers to touring across the EU.
Sector Opposes Proposals on Pernambuco
Brazil has put a proposal to CITES on the regulation of trade in Pernambuco, an endangered wood species used for the manufacture of bows for stringed instruments, to relist Pernambuco as Appendix I it at the next CoP 20 in November 2025. Relisting Pernambuco under Appendix I would effectively ban all international trade in both the wood and all products made from it, heavily impacting touring musicians and the wider string community. The ABO is working in collaboration with the wider music sector making the case for conservation alongside cultural touring, and calls on UK Government to oppose Brazil’s proposals.
Parliamentarians Discuss Music Education
Members of the Classical Music APPG convened an informative meeting discussing music education, with Dr Adam Whittaker, Associate Professor of Music and Head of Pedagogy at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Dr Anthony Anderson, Associate Professor in Music Education of Birmingham City University.
ABO Statements - Spending Review and Industrial Strategy
See the ABO’s responses to the UK Government's Spending Review announced on 11 June, as well as to the UK Industrial Strategy and Creative Industries Sector Plan that were announced on 23 June.
Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s ReConnect
Orchestras in Education and Development
Scottish Opera brings Pop-Up Opera to schools and communities across Scotland, with free school performances and workshops. These specially-created 30 minute performances brought to life by two singers, instrumentalists and a beautiful set of illustrations, accessible for all ages.
The Philharmonia work with Bullfrog Arts to provide the Bullfrog Orchestra, a project that supports Looked After Children in building confidence and self-esteem through the fusion of Western Classical music and taiko drumming. Members of the Philharmonia Orchestra demonstrate their instruments and inspire the students, giving them the opportunity to see world class musicians as the students start their journey.
London Mozart Players have created The Penguin Who Was Blown Away, a musical story for children aged 3+ includes music by Paul Rissmann (known for his enchanting Stan and Mabel soundtrack), vibrant projected illustrations from the Blown Away book and engaging narration and song-teaching by Polly Ives.
Ulster Orchestra’s music scheme Crescendo builds on creativity. Primary school children from socially disadvantaged areas in north and west Belfast have been showing off their musical skills at a concert in the Ulster Hall. Read more here
CBSO’s new 2025/26 season pledged that 20,000 school children are to be given a special introduction to live classical music due to a pioneering new education and family-friendly programming initiative. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) announced a landmark 2025-26 season with a special focus on young people and music education that aims to open the doors to new musical adventures for music-starved youths.
Opera North and Wells Cathedral School launched a new educational initiative. Opera North will give participants the opportunity to play orchestral repertoire alongside professional musicians of the Orchestra of Opera North. The day will be divided into group warm ups, instrumental sectionals, and full rehearsals with students and members of the Orchestra of Opera North playing together.
Ulster Orchestra’s Crescendo
The Mozartists run an ambitious outreach programme, which seeks to make classical music accessible to children across Ealing. To date they have worked with over 1200 children, including pupils in ARP schools through a new strand of SEND workshops. Alongside their education partner, Ealing Music Service, they engage with students and teachers across the borough, inspiring them through Mozart’s music, getting them participating directly in their own musicmaking and fuelling their creativity.
Aurora Orchestra’s Meet the Instruments is a fun, participatory concert for families, as Aurora Orchestra and presenters Lucy Drever and Lara Stubbs introduce you to the world of orchestral music. Put your party clothes on, it’s time to sing, dance, play games and discover orchestral instruments!
National Children's Orchestra (NCO): Continued its outreach through the Horizons Programme, offering side-by-side performances, school workshops, and free concert tickets to children aged 4–16, particularly in underserved areas.
Sinfonia Smith Square in Westminster performed A Magical Bedtime Story as part of BBC Proms on Monday 25 August. More info here
The Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Newcastle hosted a workshop for families featuring singing, instruments and puppets on Sunday 27 July. More info here
Scottish Opera Pop-Up Opera
Diverse & Inclusive Orchestras
London Philharmonic Orchestra – OrchLab: Empowering disabled adults to experience the joy of making music through workshops, accessible technology, a bespoke website, training, and events.
Music Mark have launched a Diverse Educators training series, due to the demands of their community. Committed to moving the agenda forwards regarding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in our school system, the series includes two-part courses
Bristol Beacon’s Mail A Musician intends to lift the spirits of Bristol residents by bringing the joy of live music direct to the hearts and homes of our communities. They are now able to work with community partners to create bespoke music experiences to combat social isolation. This work with Mail A Musician ensures that the power of music continues to connect and uplift across the communities in our city.
CBSO’s CBSO in the City returned, bringing live music to thousands of people for free. From Star Wars and Brahms in New Street Station, to brass quartets among the blooms at Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens, a space-themed family adventure in Birmingham Library, string quartets at the Ikon Gallery, and even a clarinet trio riding the West Midlands Metro.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Sound Sanctuary: Disabled Adults: A series of music workshops for disabled adults and their carers or support workers, working together to create brand new pieces of music and explore orchestral music.
Bristol Beacon’s Mail A Musician
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Black History Month: A Musical Celebration: Join a mix of musicians from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for a fun celebration of the greatest black composers, musicians, and music.
The Glasshouse International Centre for Music’s programme Music Spark is an opportunity for people with additional needs or disabilities to experiment with instruments and technology, playing musical games, writing and singing songs, with 10 sessions per term. For more information, please click here.
London Mozart Players have created Samuel Coleridge-Taylor at 150, a musical tribute to Croydon’s composer for his 150th anniversary. It’s a celebration of black identity in the borough, with fresh new music alongside Coleridge-Taylor’s famous works.
National Open Youth Orchestra collaborated with the Barbican and performed Ring Out!: Fifteen brilliant young disabled and non-disabled musicians invite you into a musical universe without barriers, performing beautiful new pieces.
Chineke! Junior Orchestra – Family Concert at Royal Festival Hall: A youth ensemble of Black and ethnically diverse players aged 11–22, performing a family concert at the Royal Festival Hall.
London Philharmonic Orchestra – OrchLab Festival Day ) - a celebratory, accessible live event for disabled adults with instruments, performances, and interactive activities. This project is inclusive workshops, accessible technology, web resources and live events in partnership with Drake Music.
RPO’s Sound Sanctuary: Disabled Adults
Green Orchestras
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra presented Manu Martin’s Cosmic Rhapsody, based on a narrative created by Susan Lim and Christina Teenz Tan. In the piece, the quest for solutions to Earth's environmental crisis intertwines with elements of suspense, drama, romance, intrigue, and scientific exploration.
London Philharmonic Orchestra – Harmony In Nature 2025/26 season theme
A season dedicated to exploring our connection with the Earth through orchestral music featuring works inspired by water, forests, mountains, wildlife, and climate, including a new UK premiere of Exoplanets. The LPO also plans activist partnerships and sustainable practices throughout the season.
Irish Association of Youth Orchestras hosted a Sustainability Lounge with the European Orchestra Federation, investigating youth and amateur orchestras and their approaches to sustainability, and how we can be a part of the solution to the climate crisis.
London Philharmonic Orchestra – Sustainability Report (Apr 2025)
Outlines the LPO’s environmental stance, mapping how its work supports UN Sustainable Development Goals including climate action through both programming and operational responsibility.
Barbican Centre – Fragile Earth: Sounds of a Living Planet series
A major autumn 2025 concert series exploring our relationship with the natural world through immersive performances, featuring the BBC Concert Orchestra.
LPO’s Harmony In Nature
Orchestras in Community & Healthcare
National Orchestra for All’s Residency in Birmingham: In 2025, the orchestra will take up residency in Birmingham, with rehearsals and performances bringing together young musicians from across the UK.
Ulster Orchestra’s Move to the Music project is targeted at older people who may feel isolated and people at risk of social exclusion across Northern Ireland. The project provides free access to selected Ulster Orchestra season concerts, engagement opportunities and sustained projects for community groups, Tea Dances aimed at those over 65, and Musician on Call visits to senior day centres and care homes.
Orchestras Live’s project Good Company is a collaborative, two-year programme which aims to support people living with dementia and their family carers in the Borough of Brentwood and the South Essex locality, involving them in an inclusive creative company together with a range of professional artists including orchestral musicians.
Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s ReConnect programme has received renewed funding, which has been running since 2013, aims to improve patients’ and carers’ sense of wellbeing and quality of life, bringing people together through music to connect, communicate and enjoy spending time together. The programme provides a series of weekly music sessions in which dementia patients, together with visiting family members and care staff, are invited and supported to sing, play instruments, improvise and listen.
Wandsworth Music & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Battersea Park in Concert Outreach Programme: As part of the Battersea Park in Concert series, Wandsworth Music and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra worked with local primary schools to provide high-quality musical experiences for children and young people in and around Battersea Park
Philharmonia’s Hear and Now project entered its 15th year, a unique musical collaboration between older people living with dementia and their carers, young singers and instrumentalists from grassroots community organisations, and members of the Philharmonia Orchestra. At this final performance, project participants and musicians from the Philharmonia share a programme of well-loved and specially written music, song and poetry.
Ulster Orchestra Move to the Music
RPO and Wandsworth Music Schools project
Orchestras Making Change
Sinfonia Cyrmu are expanding their Cymuned Sessions in 2025 offering free performances in community spaces across Wales, expanding to care homes, fruit and veg shops, village halls, and more! To find out where to see them next, click here
Scottish Chamber Orchestra – ReConnect (Healthcare Programme)
Designed in collaboration with NHS Lothian and the University of Edinburgh, ReConnect delivers music sessions in clinical environments including dementia units and hospital wards to reduce anxiety, encourage reminiscence, and promote wellbeing through music for those living with dementia.
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra – Music for a While
This award-winning project brings music directly into dementia wards across hospitals in the southwest. BSO musicians lead sessions inside hospital wards, encouraging participation through singing, percussion, and bedside performances that lift mood, reduce agitation, and enhance engagement
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s STROKESTRA® is a pioneering stroke rehabilitation programme that harnesses the power of group creative music-making alongside professional musicians and clinicians to drive patient-led recovery in stroke patients and their carers.
Bristol Beacon’s Music Club improves the quality of life of participants by making music together. Supported by professional musicians, the weekly sessions take place in Filwood Community Centre and Easton Community Centre and are open to people living with dementia, along with their carers and families. Find out more here.
BSO’s
Digital Orchestras
The Philharmonia’s largest installation, Universe of Sound, transformed a performance of Holst’s The Planets into a ten-room exhibition than filled an entire building or gallery space. The piece was captured with 37 video cameras and 40+ multi-track audio. Visitors walk through each different section of the Orchestra at their own pace, and set their own route. They choose to walk continually throughout the exhibition, or stay seated in one section for as long as they wish. The exhibition is interactive, allowing visitors to conduct the Orchestra.
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra’s digital care packages are concert recordings. These are available for free to anyone living or working in care homes, hospices, healthcare settings or homecare, and part of a three-part series of recorded performances.
London Sinfonietta – Sound Out! Schools Concert 2025 — Schools concert featuring new compositions by students, interactive soundscapes, and storytelling.
Philharmonia Orchestra – Orchestra Unwrapped 2025/26 KS2 school concerts in Basingstoke (4 November), London, Leicester, Bedford. The programme offers thousands of children from many different backgrounds the opportunity to hear a live orchestra. The concert is accompanied by learning resources to explore music in the classroom.
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s Digital Concerts are broadcast live on Wednesday evenings from their home at Lighthouse, Poole. Every concert is beautifully filmed in full HD with multiple cameras and superb stereo sound, which give you a real sense of engagement and involvement.
Philharmonia’s Universe of Sound