Beyond the Concert Hall

8/13/2019 Beyond the Concert Hall

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Beyond the Concert Hallorchestras working in rural and isolated communitiesABO


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The UKs leading professional orchestras are

extending their reach and playing to more people

than ever before. Outside the major cities,

rural communities and those in isolated areas

are increasingly being given the opportunity to

experience the power of orchestral music; whether

in the form of a full symphony orchestra or a smaller

chamber ensemble.

Although the majority of orchestras are based

in conurbations, their activity and performances

are spread much more widely. Many enjoy long-

established residencies in rural areas, others

have built up strong community links with local

promoters, and many more have dedicated series of

rural tours that are reaching areas and people who

would otherwise be unable to access classical

and contemporary music at this level.

Alongside performances, orchestras are delivering

ambitious and inspiring education work with young

people and communities in hard to reach areas

across the country. Partnering with schools and

universities, local music groups and life-long learning

centres, the orchestras work is introducing a new

generation of people to classical music.

And our orchestras are continuing to innovate to

nd new ways of making classical music relevant

and accessible to brand new audiences. New

technology means communicating with those in

otherwise hard to reach areas is possible and the

explosion of virtual worlds on the internet means

re-dening the whole notion of concert halls and

traditional venues.

But there are challenges ahead. The economic

downturn means both orchestras and the

communities they serve are facing nancial

pressures. Taking an orchestra out of the concert

hall can be costly and with some ensembles

suffering funding cuts, rural touring is in danger ofbecoming a victim of resource constraints. From

the consumer side, the Governments recent

announcement of a 3.9 billion Rural Fund to

stimulate economic growth and sustain rural

communities, highlights how the recession is

adversely affecting rural areas.

Beyond the Concert Hall draws on evidence

from all 65 members of the Association of British

Orchestras. It highlights examples of the innovative

work orchestras are doing in rural communities

and explores the unique challenges this presents

and how these are being met. It reveals the extent

of the sectors work in rural areas, its impact

on communities and how it readily taps into

government agendas on cohesion, education and

the family. Beyond the Concert Hall also highlights

the orchestras ambitions to take their work even

further; to reach new audiences in some of the

countrys most isolated communities.

Mark Pemberton, Director, ABO

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World Class Concerts on the Rural Stage

From the Orkney Isles to the tip of Cornwall, the UKs professional orchestras are

performing high quality concerts to audiences across the UK. Many enjoy residencies in

rural areas, establishing long-term relationships with communities. Others work with local

promoters in isolated areas to bring world-class performances to rural communities.

Performing in rural areas demands careful consideration of accessibility; both in terms of

programming and practically getting people to performance venues. And in performancespaces ranging from village halls and churches to racecourses, orchestras are

showing their exibility.1 Beyond the Concert Hall 3ABO


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Taking music to rural areas can be a practical

challenge; not least in physically taking a full

orchestra to a hard to access area. Often smaller

chamber orchestras can be the most exible in this

respect. In 2008, Ensemble Cymruestablished

a classical music circuit of ten venues across all six

counties of North Wales, the Scottish Ensemble

performed its acclaimed Highlands and Islands

series of concerts across Scotland and in 2008,

Orchestras Live, the national development agency

for orchestral music in England, worked with 20

chamber orchestras to deliver 59 concerts to more

than 14,000 people in rural areas across England.

Not only are orchestras going out to rural

communities, many are also bringing people into city

concert halls to experience a full-scale orchestral

concert. The City of Birmingham Symphony

Orchestraperforms four concerts a year for primary

and secondary school children, attracting schools

from rural areas, bringing them to Symphony Hall for

a unique concert experience.

Programming concerts presents challenges for

orchestras of all sizes and all locations; whether

in large cities or rural communities. Orchestras

are constantly striking a balance between more

traditional programmes which have broad

audience appeal, and delivering contemporary and

challenging repertoires to introduce audiences to a

new breed of composers and music styles.

When a community group is keen for a lighter

programme orchestras are responsive to those

needs. But often it is simply a case of effectively

communicating the programming to audiences.

For the Orchestra of the Swan, for example,

introducing new and contemporary music is part of

giving a full concert experience, and they regularly

hold post-concert and pre-concert talks to actively

engage their rural audiences in the programmes.

The orchestra is set to premiere a contemporary

clarinet concerto for Shipton-on-Stowe Music

Societys 20th anniversary concert something that

the society requested as part of its well-established

relationship with the orchestra. The same piece will

1.1 Making Music Accessible

Birmingham Contemporary

Music Group - Rural Tours

Since 1998 Birmingham Contemporary Music

Group (BCMG) has embarked on regular

Rural Tours in Shropshire, Herefordshire and

Worcestershire. The ensemble performs a series

of mini concerts in local villages free of charge

culminating in a nal concert.

The tours regularly attract strong audience

numbers, with average attendances reaching1,000 in 2006.

After the last rural tour in 2008, 2 coaches of

concert goers from these rural areas visited

the CBSO Centre in Birmingham to experience

BCMG playing in their home venue.

Funding and circumstances permitting, BCMG

hopes to expand its Rural Tours further aeld in

2010.

I love the initiative of bringing BCMG to small

venues in Shropshire. I hope it will attract a wider

audience to contemporary music. Being free is an

important factor in people trying it out, as are the

engaging introductions to the pieces.

Shropshire audience member

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make its national debut at Cadogan Hall two

weeks later.

Performing in smaller, more intimate venues

demands greater audience interaction. Settings

are often more informal, with players interacting

with the audience on a much more personal level

than in a large concert hall. And many orchestras

point to the positive effect that this level of exibilityand interaction has on players when they return to

the concert hall stage improving their ability to

communicate and engage audiences.

Programme concerts to suit the audience, whilst

giving opportunities to experience contemporary

and challenging music

Inform audiences; explore opportunities for pre

and post concert talks

Where resources allow, bring audiences from

isolated areas into large city concert halls to

experience a full orchestral performance

In the last 2 years, the UKs leading professional orchestrashave performed in all 40 English counties, 34 counties

in Scotland and 13 Welsh counties

Best Practice

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Many orchestras have established residencies

in rural areas and small towns, developing long-

term partnerships with venues and communities.

Residencies carry the advantage of providing

consistency; allowing orchestras to programme

regular concert series and often education and

community work to complement them.

The London Mozart Playershave a thriving ruralresidency in East Lindsey, Lincolnshire which is now

in its seventh year. The residency has generated

a huge following for live classical music in the

Lincolnshire community and has seen a work written

especially for the residency by composer Lynne

Plowman, now released on CD.

The Scottish Ensemblehas established a

residency at Cove Park, traditionally a venue for

working artists and poets. The ensemble is involvedin a collaborative piece across art forms, culminating

in a performance for the local community.

And it is not only chamber orchestras whose

residencies extend beyond major cities. The

Royal Philharmonic Orchestrahas several rural

residencies, including Lowestoft where they have

been resident since 2005. The orchestra performs

in the towns Marina Theatre which also hosts

tribute acts, pantomimes and ice shows throughout

the year. With an average of ve concerts a year,

the orchestra regularly plays to sell-out audiences,

reaching more than 3,000 people a year.

As well as residencies in rural areas, many

orchestras reside in suburban locations that

are equally hard to reach. The Orchestra of

the Swans residency in Shard End in the West

Midlands saw the ensemble work with three

generations of unemployed on a range of projects,

culminating in a trip to see the orchestra perform

at the orchestras home in Stratford. Despite the

residency coming to an end in 2008, a number of

residents now regularly attend orchestral concerts in

the City.

1.2 Thriving Rural Residencies

Manchester Camerata

Manchester Camerata has four well-established

residencies in rural and hard-to-reach regions

across the UK; Crewe (20 years), Colne (15

years), Stafford (7 years) and Ulverston (6 years).

Across the four residencies the orchestra

gives 16 concerts a year to a total audience of

over 4,500.

Manchester Camerata has also recently

introduced a musician-in-residence for each

residency, taking classical music into non-

traditional venues in the local area, such as

parks, castles and local tourist attractions.

An integral part of these thriving rural

residencies is involving both traditional and

new audiences in creative participation, and the

successful launch of Family Music Days in each

residency has opened up the orchestras work

to new sections of the local community.

In 2008 Manchester Cameratas rst residency

focusing entirely on learning and participation

started in Chester. Projects included three Family

Music Days, a cross-arts project focusing on

the Elements involving a mainstream primary

school working alongside a special school, and

Lullabies, a storytelling project for young mums6 Beyond the Concert HallABO


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Best Practice

Explore opportunities for establishing residencies

in rural areas that allow for a regular concert

series, building relationships with audiences

and delivering associated education

and community work

and under 5s to build early musical, listening and

interaction skills.

Sue Colvin, the orchestras Head of Marketing

said: playing regularly in regional venues

has enabled us to introduce more unusual

programmes because of the trust and rapport

which has been built with our audiences.

To have local access to such an excellent

orchestra and set of programmes, particularly as

one gets older and travel is more difcult, is most

welcome

Camerata audience member



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Promoting concerts in locations that are often far

from an orchestras base and have a low density

population is an inevitable challenge. Key to

successful promotion is mobilising enthusiasts

from the local community who are able to publicise

concerts and draw in audiences; often from relatively

inaccessible areas. Orchestras provide iers, tickets

and promotional materials, but rely on those on the

ground to spread the word.

Alongside building and extending their own

relationships with local promoters and communities,

many orchestras have developed strong local

partnerships through Orchestras Live. Orchestras

Live is a national development agency for

orchestras in England, bringing ensembles and

local promoters together to reach some of the most

culturally isolated areas of the country. Its Chamber

Orchestras Live series will see 53 concerts involving

16 orchestras performing throughout England (from

Cumbria to Southampton) in 2008/09.

In the current economic climate, orchestras

are under pressure to ensure their visits are

economically viable by securing strong audience

numbers and making best use of their time in an

area. Local promotion is crucial in maximising such

opportunities. Ensemble Cymru, for example,

regularly performs three concerts in a day in

different venues in a given village; allowing greater

opportunities for people to attend concerts whilst

bolstering their own ticket sales.

1.3 Effective Local Promotion

Reverend Mark Holden

Since 2005, the London Mozart Players have

performed in Wragby, Lincolnshire and each year

their popularity amongst local residents continues

to grow. They not only delight us with their

orchestral excellence, but also sensitively engage

with the needs of the community.

The church is at the heart of this community

and so seemed to be the most obvious and

suitable choice of venue to host concerts. The

London Mozart Players visit provided the idealopportunity to open the building out to the wider

community.

There is a lot of hidden deprivation within rural

communities both nancially and culturally - a

real dearth of opportunity. To be able to provide a

venue for world-class orchestral music to perform

on our doorstep, for a fraction of the normal cost

- is a great privilege.

I will never forget one evening in June 2005

when the local community was treated to an

outstanding performance of Vivaldis the Four

Seasons. The sound was absolutely delightful.

I now help to promote concerts for local

musicians, although I would by no means call

myself a promoter! As well as providing a8 Beyond the Concert HallABO


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Best Practice

Harness local support for effective concert

promotion

Make best use of an orchestras time in an area by

programming several concerts in a day in different

venues, or organising community workshops to

complement concerts

huge amount of enjoyment to the audience,

the concerts enable us to generate much

needed income through selling rafe tickets and

refreshments.

It is truly rewarding and enjoyable bringing such

pleasure to my community.

Orchestras Live

Orchestras Live is the national development

agency for orchestral music in England andis instrumental in brokering partnerships and

creating bespoke projects that are appropriate

for the needs of the local community. In 2007/08

alone, it supported more than 270 events in

partnership with 95 Local Authorities and other

promoters, involving 35 professional orchestras.

It has also set up and run the thriving Chamber

Orchestras Live touring circuit that exists to bring

excellent live orchestral music to previously under-

served rural areas and small towns in England,

often developing audiences from a zero base.

Orchestras Live has been the driving force

behind bringing orchestras to hard-to-reach

communities, including the Orchestra of the Swan

in Dunstable, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

in Lowestoft and the London Mozart Players in

Lincolnshire, Swavesey and South Holland.

We are committed to bringing the very best

British orchestras to communities where world

class, live orchestral music is a rarity. The

powerful combination of our partners local

knowledge and ambition combined with the

creativity and exibility of professional orchestras,

means that thousands of people have the

opportunity to experience great live orchestral

music on their doorstep.

Henry Little, Chief Executive, Orchestras Live



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Playing in geographically isolated areas often means

performing in a range of unconventional venues.

From village halls to airports, medical centres to

racecourses, and ofces to cathedrals the UKs

leading professional orchestras are taking music to

people in some of the most diverse performance

spaces available.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestraperformsregularly at the Marina Theatre in rural Lowestoft

which also hosts bingo evenings, theatre

performances and lm showings. Whilst not as

accessible for the full symphony orchestras at

Londons Royal Albert Hall, the venue is typical of

many of the performance spaces available in areas

outside major cities and orchestras are adapting to

the challenges such venues present.

TheBournemouth Symphony Orchestrahasperformed on beaches and in car parks, Northern

Sinfonia in castles, the Philharmonia Orchestra in a

circus arena and an ice rink and the London Mozart

Players in medical centres and ofces.

With advances in technology, orchestras are

expanding into the virtual world, bringing a whole

new concert experience to a whole new audience.

The Philharmonia Orchestra has fully embraced

the advantages of technology in its bid to access a

wider audience. In 2005, they hosted their rst ever

web concert and in 2008/9 the orchestra has more

than 3,500 people downloading free video podcasts

from its website every month.

And in 2007, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic

Orchestrabecame the rst orchestra to perform a

virtual concert in Second Life.

1.4 Flexible Venues

Orchestra of the Swan

The Orchestra of the Swan has a thriving Live

and Rural programme which has seen the

ensemble perform in a range of venues across

the Midlands from care centres and hospices

through to airports.

One might think that a busy international airport

would present a unique set of challenges as a

performance space and this indeed was the case,

but with these challenges comes a unique set

of opportunities. How many of even the worldsmost successful concert halls have over 8 million

potential audience members passing through

their doors - over 20,000 visitors per day?

David Curtis, Musical Director

City of Birmingham

Symphony Orchestra

In June 2008, the City of Birmingham Symphony

Orchestra (CBSO) in partnership with Shropshire

Archives hosted an outdoor event in the Wroxeter

Roman Village near Telford. The event, one of

many from the Telford Culture Zone project, was

based on the Civilisation strand of the National

Curriculum.

The children and young people involved prepared



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Best Practice

Be exible with performance space and be

aware of the opportunities and challenges that

unconventional venues provide

Make use of new technology to access new areas

and audiences

their performances in school based workshops

with CBSO musicians and other artists weeks

ahead of the nal performance. Parents and

friends were invited to watch the grand nale

alongside the CBSO Berkley Salon Ensemble at

the Roman Village.

Royal Liverpool

Philharmonic Orchestra

Second Life

In 2007, RLPO performed a full orchestral concertin the virtual world Second Life.

This groundbreaking performance, based on

a simultaneous real-life concert, conducted by

Vasily Petrenko at the Philharmonic Hall, provided

an opportunity for people from across the globe,

to experience live orchestral music in the comfort

of their own homes.

More than 80 avatars enjoyed the concert

with many visiting the virtual Grand Foyer Bar at

the Phil after the concert, where Petrenko and

Composer-in-the-House Ken Hesketh were on

hand to chat and answer questions about the

performance.

Some of us have difculty enough dealing with

the rst life, never mind another one, but, in this

limitless age, the RLPO has pioneered the idea of

pitching a genuine concert within Second Lifes

imagined realm.

The concert had an audience in the actual hall as

well, but Second Life extended it worldwide. As

an avatar, I could acquire a virtual programme and

buy a virtual drink from the virtual bar...

Geoffrey Norris, Daily Telegraph,

17 September 2007

Cadogan Hall & RPO

Cadogan Hall and the Royal Philharmonic

Orchestra (RPO) have launched the UKs rst ever

online streaming of live concerts direct from the

auditorium. Audiences from all over the country

and across the globe will be able to enjoy RPO

concerts live from the comfort of their own homes

via CADOGAN 1 (C1). Tickets cost 4.95 and

audience members will be able to tune in to the

performance live as well as watch it on demand

as many times as they like within the following 12

months.

A sister channel, CADOGAN 2 (C2), offers free

additional content including interviews with

composers and soloists, RPO player proles,

special concerts, and previews of concerts

available on the premium C1 channel.



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Bolstering Communities, Inspiring Learning

Alongside the orchestras regular concerts, working with schools and

community groups is at the heart of many of the orchestras activity in rural

areas. It is also often the area that has the most impact and leads to the

strongest legacies.

Rural communities are as varied as their urban counterparts, and part of the

challenge is delivering programmes that meet their needs. Orchestras are

constantly nding new and diverse partners to help deliver work, adding to the

cultural offer they can make to these communities. And in their community

and education work, orchestras are helping local authorities meet government

agendas on education, cohesion and participation.

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From the young to the elderly, disabled and socially

excluded communities are diverse and their

needs equally so. In rural and hard to reach areas,

orchestras are breaking the supercial boundaries

between so-called hard to reach groups; proving

that music really can bring people together.

Manchester Camerataran a Lullabies project for

single mums at the Chester Festival whilst the Hallperforms in care homes for the elderly in rural North

Wales, and the Orchestra of the Swan has worked

with a youth offenders group in Dunstable.

Working with these groups often demands much

exibility from the orchestra, and an appreciation

of what different audiences expect and will benet

from. London Mozart Players (LMP) exemplify

this approach. They have delivered performances

and workshops in nursing homes, to the localWomens Institute Group, people with Alzheimers,

youth clubs and local primary schools - tailoring

programmes to t the audience and adapting to

the audiences needs. Education and Community

Manager at LMP Margaret Archibald, also the

ensembles sub-principal clarinet, argues that

success comes by identifying what will hit the spot

and not being judgemental.

But it is also about managing expectations.

Workshops might be tailored to meet specic

groups needs and aspirations. However, in

some cases, such as Bournemouth SymphonyOrchestras Rusty Musicians project large scale

projects that involve people of all ages, backgrounds

and abilities can be hugely successful.

2.1 Working Across the

Community

Bournemouth Symphony

Orchestras RustyMusicians project

Rusty Musicians is a unique project devised by

the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO)

enabling people ranging from early teens to late

seventies, in rural areas of Dorset to participate

in music-making together with professional

musicians.

Through a series of inspiring workshops, amateur

musicians of various abilities are provided witha unique opportunity to revive and develop

their musical skills. The project culminates into

a collaborative orchestral concert enabling the

community to experience local musical talent

alongside professional orchestral excellence.

The project, which began in 2000, has continued

to successfully attract people from across the

region including Christchurch, Weymouth and

Purbeck. Its popularity has meant people from

neighbouring counties including Hampshire,

Devon and Somerset are also now regular

participants.

Rusty Musicians has had a lasting positive

impact on the community, reected by the

increasing public demand. A number of former

participants have gone on to join local amateur



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Best Practice

Be exible when working with different audiences

tailor workshops to meet specic needs

Manage expectations and encourage participants

to play a part in shaping the workshops/project

orchestras. Over the projects ten year duration,

nearly 1,000 people have participated in the

project.

If this is what bringing the BSO to the community

means, I cant think of a better way of doing

it. It works in so many ways - amateurs and

professionals working together for the benet

of both; encouraging active music making;

... making good use of local authority funds;

encouraging participation across the county;

awakening the interest of future audiences.

Rusty Musicians participant



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Education and community projects work best

when they are delivered in partnership. From

local government and development agencies, to

community music groups, schools and individual

community leaders orchestras are working with a

range of groups to deliver education and community

projects in some of the most hard to reach areas.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestraran two

composition projects with school clusters in

Lowestoft, linked to the Making Your Mark

Initiative. Performances have taken place in local

schools and at the main Summer Festival, Gig on

the Green.

Ensemble Cymruhas built effective partnerships

with three schools in North Wales where they

are resident. Their approach is two-fold; rstly,

introducing pupils to classical music to enhance

their learning experience across the curriculum (e.g.creative writing, history, etc) and secondly working

with young people with an interest in music to

inspire and develop their skills.

Working with other artists often adds to the

workshop experience - Bournemouth Symphony

OrchestraandOrchestras of the Swan are

amongst the orchestras who draw upon the skills of

animateurs to add a further dimension to their work.

London Mozart Players week-long project in

Swavesey saw partners drawn from across the

community to help deliver a range of activities for thecommunity. The project was nominated for an RPS

award in 2007, not least because of the powerful

legacy that has been created.

2.2 Forging Effective Partnerships London Mozart Players-Swavesey projectIn 2006, the LMP in conjunction with local

community partners, organised a week of jam

packed activity in a bid to engage the community

of Swavesey village, Cambridgeshire.

Working alongside the local primary school,

college, council and community leaders, the

LMP were able to deliver an impressive range of

workshops and mini projects to cater for all the

community. Activities included: A series of workshops in a local primary school,

culminating in a nal concert

Organising and performing at tea-time, coffee

mornings and family concerts - targeted at

different social groups

A series of talks to local people including a

pub chat and a Music Matters talk at the

Meridian Womens Club

Make a Disc in association with SwaveseyVillage College, which saw LMP host recording

sessions with a studio engineer for amateur

groups and individuals within the community.



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Best practice

Explore opportunities for working in partnership to

add value to orchestras work in rural

communities. These could be delivery partners

(animateurs, composers) or potential funding

partners (local government, local development

agencies)

The week culminated in a massive music concert

that included contributions from the various

projects which had taken place throughout

the week, in addition to the LMP performing a

concert of challenging and popular works.

The legacy of the Swavesey project lives on

through the community choir which was created

solely for that week but still exists three years on.

It was an amazing moment when walking back

to the church after our rehearsal break to nd

that we were walking towards the concert with

most of the village! It had been the aim of our

residency to touch the lives of everyone in the

village of Swavesey, regardless of age, and it

seemed to us that nearly everyone in the village

was either performing in the concert as part of the

community choir, or in the composition project, or

was listening in the audience.

Margaret Archibald, Education Manager & sub-

principal clarinet, London Mozart Players



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Orchestras are consistently helping local councils

and organisations meet government policy agendas

such as Every Child Matters, Family Learning and

Community Cohesion.

Whether through rural residencies or workshops,

orchestras are ensuring that rural and other isolated

areas are not exempt from government ambitions

outlined in key directives and campaigns such asthe Music Manifesto, which seeks to give all children

and young people access to high quality music

education.

Working in rural areas, orchestras are helping

to ensure support structures for young peoples

music-making are developed. For example,

Ensemble Cymru, active in all 6 counties in North

Wales, provides the infrastructure and opportunity

to access classical music, often only available in

larger cities. They are the only chamber orchestra in

Wales based outside Cardiff.

The range of projects offered by the UKs leading

professional orchestras means they are actively

contributing to, meeting and exceeding government

targets - whether it is 5 hours of culture a week for

every child, or Youth Musics mission to support

music-making activities for 0 18 year olds who

would otherwise not get the chance. And they are

also setting their own agenda; going public with

the ambition to ensure every school child has the

opportunity to attend an orchestral concert during

their time at school, whatever their background and

wherever they live.

Music can also have the power to bring communities

together. London Mozart Playershave been

resident in the rural district of South Holland for

a year, working closely with the council and local

promoters to deliver education and community work

in schools and care homes. The District Council arenow bidding for funding for LMP to do extra work

in the area that will explore how music can be used

as a way of bringing together the local and migrant

communities.

2.3 Making Policy Count

BBC Concert Orchestra

Making Tracks projectIn March 2008 more than 10,000 children

attended the BBC Concert Orchestras Making

Tracks concert tour which took place in several

venues across Stevenage, Grantham and

Norwich. The school children, aged between 7-11

years were encouraged to participate in a range

of interactive and educational musical activities

alongside the professional orchestra.

Teachers were provided with resources and

materials prior to the concerts, in order to

enhance the childrens appreciation and

understanding of the event.

Making Tracks began two years ago and is

facilitated by Orchestras Live. It is part of a wider

government initiative to ensure all children receive

adequate music education through the Music

Manifesto and Every Child Matters agenda ,

ensuring all children are presented with adequateopportunities in and outside of the classroom,

through effective partnership working.



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Best Practice

Be aware of government policy agendas and

where orchestras work is meeting them

Communicate effectively when projects are

tapping into government policy whether on

music, arts and culture, or more broadly on issues

such as education and cohesion

A Live Concert Experience

for Every ChildThe ABOs recent mapping survey of symphony,

chamber, BBC, opera and ballet orchestras

shows that around 400 concerts took place

in 2007/08 reaching around 250,000 children

and young people in England. In 2008/09 the

orchestras plans showed that they would be

providing opportunities for a further 55,000

children and young people to experience a live

orchestral concert.

But access to live orchestral concerts is

concentrated predominantly in urban centres.

Providing access to live orchestral concerts for

children from hard to reach and rural communities

will necessarily involve additional investment

in transport, and orchestras time in terms of

preparation, administration, and resources for

teachers.

Fiona Harvey, ABO education consultant



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The Future of Outreach Work

Working in rural and isolated areas is just one part of the extensive outreach

and community work that the UKs orchestral sector is delivering. It is also

one of the most crucial, opening up access to classical music and widening

opportunity.3


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Working in rural and isolated areas is just one part

of the extensive outreach and community work that

the UKs orchestral sector is delivering. It is also one

of the most crucial, opening up access to classical

music and widening opportunity.

This brief touches on the impact of this work on

some of the UKs most isolated areas. People

who are unable to access live classical musicare experiencing orchestras and ensembles

playing on their own doorsteps. Many more are

taking advantage of workshops and education

programmes and more still beneting from

orchestras residencies and rural touring.

Orchestras are performing in every county in

England and reaching thousands of people of all

ages, backgrounds and experiences.

There is little doubt that demand is there and the

orchestras are ambitious in their plans to extend and

develop their work in rural and hard to reach areas.

But their ability to do so is under threat. Corporate

sponsorship is already under pressure during this

period of recession, while cuts in public investment,

particularly for chamber orchestras, may well force

cutbacks to the extensive touring programmes and

local workshops they deliver. Some have already

been forced to postpone rural tours scheduled for

2010.

It is only with the backing of local and national

government, corporate sponsors and funders,and crucially, the enthusiasm of the individuals and

communities who value the orchestras work so

highly, that their work beyond the concert hall

can continue to thrive.

Looking to the FutureAs a former Chairman of a concert hall, and

as a writer about culture and learning, I have

seen at close hand the work that orchestras and

musicians do in schools and communities around

the country. The audience members at a great

orchestral performance probably dont realise

just how much goes on outside the venue, where

ABO members are reaching out to people who

would not otherwise experience music of this type

and quality. Music has a direct emotive power

that speaks for itself, and it is a good thing that

music reaches people wherever they are.

John Holden, Head of Culture, DEMOS



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Documents

Beyond the Concert Hall