'We're going to show them that orchestras aren't boring'

One of Orchestras Live's Lullaby Concerts in Lowestoft
with City of London Sinfonia and Claire Bloor
in October 2014, photo Paul Coghlin

Orchestras Live, a national music charity that brings orchestral music to thousands of people in under-served areas across England, is continuing to have a busy year. I was at one of their First Time Live Youth concerts in Grimsby in March this year (see my article) and they are rolliing out similar First Time Live Youth events at Spalding, in Lincolnshire and Furness in Cumbria. 

At Spalding, a group of young producers chosen from local schools produced a concert in November 2014 at South Holland Centre with a collaboration between the City of London Sinfonia and local singer-songwriters Alfie Jack and Tommy Loose. Whilst in Cumbria,  30 producers aged between 12 and 15 will be producing two concerts in Barrow in March 2015 with Manchester Camberata. The Barrow performances will be for primary schools and one of the young producers commented that 'We're going to show them that orchestras aren't boring' 

And in Luton, the First Time Live  project has been aiming to encourage active involvement in orchestral music by young people in Luton, much of this through Whole Class Ensemble Teaching  in schools and communities in collaboration with composer John K Miles and the City  of London Sinfonia. And in County Durham, the success of a concert by the Halle Orchestra has been built on by musicians from the Halle and instrumental tutors working with young string players on a piece of music written by Halle Education Director, Steve Pickett. The resulting performance, with students and professionals playing together, was given at North Durham Academy, Stanley earlier this month.