Celebrating music and togetherness: Read our latest Impact Report!

From Sounds of Change to youth leadership, here’s our year in review…

Kickstarting the New Year on a positive note, we’re delighted to share our latest Impact Report for Orchestras for All (OFA). 

At OFA, we believe in the transformative power of group music-making to change young peoples’ lives – and in our uplifting new report, we showcase our charity’s barrier-smashing work from July 2023 to June 2024.

Co-Chairs to OFA’s Board of Trustees, Susanna Eastburn MBE, Beth White and Joelle Sogunro, wrote: ‘Over the past year, Orchestras for All has made great strides in making music accessible to everyone. We’ve stayed true to our mission of inclusive music-making, with a strong focus on empowering young people to take a key role in shaping the future of music.  

“Through our programmes, we’ve created space for young people from all backgrounds to get involved, using music as a way to foster leadership and personal growth.”

Read more: 11 barrier-smashing highlights from Orchestras for All in 2024 >

Pictured (left to right): A NOFA cellist, three Modulo participants and a NOFA violinist and flautist.

As well as highlights from our three life-changing programmes, National Orchestra for All (NOFA), Modulo and Music Leadership Training (MLT), you can read our report to discover:

• Exciting charity updates – from artistic development to sustainability

• Inspiring stories and testimonies from young musicians, parents and guardians, alums and music teachers across the UK

• How we’ve strengthened OFA’s sector-leading inclusive practice

• Why youth leadership matters in music

• Our ongoing commitment to wellbeing and safeguarding

• Digital campaign highlights and ways we’ve built our diverse community

NOFA violinist and alum, Miecha (featured in the video below), summed up her experience perfectly: “It’s nice to go somewhere else independently, find yourself, meet other people from different parts of the UK and just play music together.”

While we’re taking a moment to reflect on the year’s achievements, we’re also filled with excitement for what’s to come in 2025.

Alongside introducing you to our next set of Ambassadors, Trustees and Youth Board members, we’ll be going on tour once again for Modulo and NOFA – but with a brilliant new cohort of young people and schools!

We can’t wait to welcome new and existing members to our energising live events this spring, taking place from February onwards at leading arts venues in Manchester, Gateshead, London and Birmingham.

Until then, sit back and explore our Impact Report to get a taste of all the music-making action!

Thank you to all those who were part of our journey in 2023-24 – your ongoing support makes everything we do possible.

Music-making across borders: A memorable week in Vienna with Superar

Exploring the value of youth leadership and inclusive music education in ‘the city of music’…

Hello! I am Elen, Fundraising and Communications Coordinator here at Orchestras for All (pictured middle above).

Earlier this year and during my time as Youth Leadership Coordinator, I was offered the incredible opportunity to represent Orchestras for All during a visit to Superar, a music and choir programme based in Vienna committed to providing high-quality music education to young people, regardless of their background.

It was a week filled with learning, sharing and making connections, thanks to the organisation’s wonderful staff and students as well as the rich musical culture of the city – and I’ve been keen to share this with you.

Read more: “Investing in youth leadership is crucial for shaping the future of the arts” >

Stunning scenery: Enjoying the sunshine outside the renowned Hofburg Palace.

A highlight of my trip was having the chance to share OFA’s mission and practice – those relating to its focus on youth leadership – with Superar’s staff and students, in particular.

During these discussions, I was able to delve into how we implement our youth leadership leadership initiatives, including youth-led performances or working with the Youth Board.

The staff were keen to hear about how this could be integrated into their own work, while the students were eager to ask questions and share their own experiences from their personal music-making journeys.

Plus, no visit to Vienna would have been complete without exploring its operatic heritage and I was fortunate enough to visit the Vienna State Opera to watch a rehearsal of ‘Sugar Revolution’ – a newly-created performance by CityLab.

This is the Opera’s cross-generational community theatre group, in which people of all ages are invited to develop their own piece and perform it in front of an audience.

I was amazed by how collaborative the rehearsal felt and the different ways in which they created an inclusive and empowering environment.

It was inspiring to see how opera, which is often written off as an ‘elite’ artform, could be made accessible to all,  leaving me with plenty of ideas for how we might continue to expand community outreach through music back home.

Ornate details: The beautiful architecture of Vienna State Opera.

I also had the privilege of visiting two middle schools in different parts of Vienna, where I observed Superar’s choir programme in action.

The energy in the room was contagious! The students were fully immersed in the music and it was clear they had formed a close-knit community through their choir work.

Watching the rehearsals, I was struck by how singing can break down barriers and create a shared space for expression. What stood out to me most was the variety of languages the children were singing in. From German to English and Turkish to Ukrainian (to name but a few), every song was sung in a different language and from a different genre.

The programme’s commitment to inclusivity, much like Orchestras for All’s approach to inclusivity, was admirable, and it was wonderful to witness the impact of this vital work in real-time.

Read more: OFA invites young people in the UK to participate in new season of programmes >

So many strings: My view as a cellist from within the orchestra.

To cap off my experience, I was invited to join an orchestra rehearsal, playing cello alongside Superar students. It was one thing to observe, but something else entirely to sit among the students and experience their rehearsal practices firsthand.

The dedication and focus of the young musicians was impressive, as was the warm, supportive environment fostered by their conductor and tutors.

The rehearsal felt collaborative, with plenty of space for the students to make musical decisions and even direct the orchestra. It was an excellent example of the kind of youth leadership we champion at Orchestras for All – and it was joyful to be a part of.

Vibrant surroundings: Vienna has the most colourful terraced buildings.

Overall, my week with Superar was a reminder of how much music has the power to transcend borders and bring people together. It reaffirmed the idea that music is a universal language, capable of building bridges between different cultures, experiences and communities.

It wasn’t just a chance for me to share what we do at Orchestras for All; it was also a valuable opportunity to learn from Superar’s approach to inclusive music education.

I am so grateful to Valerie, Fundraising Manager at Superar and my host for the week, and the rest of the team at Superar, for their kindness and hospitality.

I came away with a renewed sense of purpose and excitement about what can be achieved when people work together across borders to empower young musicians – and I encourage others arts organisations to give it a go too!

Keen to support our inclusive music-making programmes? Please donate what you can: