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Beyond the Concert Hall

orchestras working in rural and isolated communities

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 longestablished 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 find 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-defining 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 financial pressures. Taking an orchestra out of the concert hall can be costly and with some ensembles suffering funding cuts, rural touring is in danger of becoming 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 performance spaces ranging from village halls and churches to racecourses, orchestras are showing their flexibility.

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1.1 Making Music Accessible

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 flexible in this respect. In 2008, Ensemble Cymru established 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 Orchestra performs 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

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 final concert. The tours regularly attract strong audience numbers, with average attendances reaching 1,000 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 afield 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 flexibility and interaction has on players when they return to the concert hall stage improving their ability to communicate and engage audiences.

Best Practice
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 orchestras have performed in all 40 English counties, 34 counties in Scotland and 13 Welsh counties
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1.2 Thriving Rural Residencies

Many orchestras have established residencies in rural areas and small towns, developing longterm 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 Players have a thriving rural residency 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 Ensemble has established a residency at Cove Park, traditionally a venue for working artists and poets. The ensemble is involved in 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 Orchestra has 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 five 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.

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 nontraditional 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 first 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 mums

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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 difficult, is most welcome Camerata audience member

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

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1.3 Effective Local Promotion

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 fliers, 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.

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 ideal opportunity to open the building out to the wider community. There is a lot of hidden deprivation within rural communities both financially 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 a

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huge amount of enjoyment to the audience, the concerts enable us to generate much needed income through selling raffle tickets and refreshments. It is truly rewarding and enjoyable bringing such pleasure to my community.

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 flexibility 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

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

Orchestras Live
Orchestras Live is the national development agency for orchestral music in England and is 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 underserved 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

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1.4 Flexible Venues

Playing in geographically isolated areas often means performing in a range of unconventional venues. From village halls to airports, medical centres to racecourses, and offices to cathedrals the UKs leading professional orchestras are taking music to people in some of the most diverse performance spaces available. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performs regularly at the Marina Theatre in rural Lowestoft which also hosts bingo evenings, theatre performances and film 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. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra has performed 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 offices. 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 first 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 Orchestra became the first orchestra to perform a virtual concert in Second Life.

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 worlds most 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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their performances in school based workshops with CBSO musicians and other artists weeks ahead of the final performance. Parents and friends were invited to watch the grand finale alongside the CBSO Berkley Salon Ensemble at the Roman Village.

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

Best Practice
Be flexible 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

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Second Life

In 2007, RLPO performed a full orchestral concert in 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 difficulty enough dealing with the first life, never mind another one, but, in this

Cadogan Hall & RPO

Cadogan Hall and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) have launched the UKs first 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 profiles, 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 finding 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.

2.1 Working Across the Community

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 superficial boundaries between so-called hard to reach groups; proving that music really can bring people together. Manchester Camerata ran a Lullabies project for single mums at the Chester Festival whilst the Hall performs 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 flexibility from the orchestra, and an appreciation of what different audiences expect and will benefit from. London Mozart Players (LMP) exemplify this approach. They have delivered performances and workshops in nursing homes, to the local Womens Institute Group, people with Alzheimers, youth clubs and local primary schools - tailoring programmes to fit 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 specific groups needs and aspirations. However, in some cases, such as Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras Rusty Musicians project large scale projects that involve people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can be hugely successful.

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras Rusty Musicians 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 with a 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, reflected by the increasing public demand. A number of former participants have gone on to join local amateur

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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 benefit 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

Best Practice
Be flexible when working with different audiences tailor workshops to meet specific needs Manage expectations and encourage participants to play a part in shaping the workshops/project

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2.2 Forging Effective Partnerships

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 Orchestra ran 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 Cymru has built effective partnerships with three schools in North Wales where they are resident. Their approach is two-fold; firstly, 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 Orchestra and Orchestras 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 the community. The project was nominated for an RPS award in 2007, not least because of the powerful legacy that has been created.

London Mozart PlayersSwavesey project

In 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 final 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 Swavesey Village College, which saw LMP host recording sessions with a studio engineer for amateur groups and individuals within the community.

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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 find 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 & subprincipal clarinet, London Mozart Players

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)

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2.3 Making Policy Count

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 as the 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 Players have 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 are now 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.

BBC Concert Orchestra Making Tracks project

In 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 adequate opportunities in and outside of the classroom, through effective partnership working.

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A Live Concert Experience for Every Child

The 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

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

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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.

Looking to the Future

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 music are experiencing orchestras and ensembles playing on their own doorsteps. Many more are taking advantage of workshops and education programmes and more still benefiting 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.

As 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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Best Practice
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 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 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 Be flexible 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 Be flexible when working with different audiences tailor workshops to meet specific needs Manage expectations and encourage participants to play a part in shaping the workshops/project Explore opportunities for partnership working 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) 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

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The ABO is the national body representing the collective interests of professional orchestras throughout the UK. We currently have 65 member orchestras and work alongside a variety of organisations that work within and support the orchestral sector. The ABO exists to support, promote and advance the interests and activities of professional orchestras in the UK in order to fulfil our vision for a society where orchestral music is valued as a core component of contemporary culture. The ABO board members are:

Timothy Walker AM Chief Executive & Artistic Director London Philharmonic Orchestra

Peter Harrap Chorus & Orchestra Director Welsh National Opera

Stephen Maddock Chief Executive City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Gavin Reid Director BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Bob Riley Chief Executive Manchester Camerata

Simon Woods Chief Executive Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Andrew Jowett Director Town Hall & Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Chi-chi Nwanoku MBE Musician

Leonora Thomson Head of Media & Public Relations Barbican Centre

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This brief was researched, written and designed by DHA Communications with support from the Association of British Orchestras and its 65 members.
For more information on any of the projects outlined in this brief, or to join our mailing list, please contact: Keith Motson, Projects Manager at the ABO: keith@abo.org.uk 020 7287 0333 Daniel Harris, DHA Managing Director: daniel@dhacommunications.co.uk 020 7793 4038 Jim Minton, DHA Head of Strategy: jim@dhacommunications.co.uk 020 7793 4013 Melissa Milner, DHA Senior Communications Advisor: melissa@dhacommunications.co.uk 020 7793 4035

Downloadable copies of this document are available at www.abo.org.uk