Orchestras for All’s Artistic Patron, Sian Edwards, shares her expert advice on how to lead an ensemble

Royal Academy of Music conductor, Sian Edwards, took to Zoom earlier this week to impart her ensemble leadership wisdom...

Whether you’ve never conducted before or are a little rusty after spending a year in lockdown, there’s plenty to be learned from Sian Edwards.

Born in West Sussex, the English musician is known for her inspiring work as Head of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she currently directs the Masters course and Sorrell Women’s Conducting Programme.

To celebrate the recent launch of Orchestras for All’s exciting new Music Leadership Training programme – specially designed to boost the skills of music teachers and community leaders – Sian joined online audiences for a webinar yesterday (23 February) to share her conducting experience.

Before the event, we caught up with the musical maestro (see video above) to find out more about how to work with an inclusive ensemble, handy techniques for teachers and why young people should join an orchestra.

Read more: Music Leadership Training programme launches with exclusive series of webinars >

“Just remember that music is all about breath,” says music educator Sian Edwards

When asked what piece of advice she would give to a new music leader, Sian said: “Just remember that music is all about breath. Your first in-breath and how you start the music is going to have so much influence on how the music sounds – even if your musicians aren’t really watching you at first!

“I think that’s a great basis for both the players and the conductors to start off from, and it makes us realise we’re all coming from a fundamentally very human place and unifies everybody straight away.”

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Speaking to young people about why they should join an orchestra, she added: “If you’re playing an instrument, it’s great to be playing with other people!

“Sometimes orchestras can seem very noisy and the sound isn’t in tune, so it can be quite a hard thing to get started with but as soon as you get used to the fact that you’re part of a group all working together, you’re going to get something at the end that makes you really quite proud.”

Sian Edwards, Head of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music

Since graduating from the Royal Northern College of Music, Sian’s achievements have included conducting Kurt Weill’s Mahagonny for Scottish Opera (1986),  Verdi’s La traviata at Glyndebourne (1987) and the world premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s operatic masterpiece, Greek, at the Munich Festival in 1988.

In the same year, she made her debut at the Royal Opera House to lead musical performances of Tippett’s The Knot Garden and has also worked as Music Director at English National Opera, where she conducted Prokofiev’s The Gambler.

Find out more about Music Leadership Training >

‘We need to teach young people with authenticity’, says music leader

Anna Williams-Haines, Head of Programmes at Orchestras for All, joins tutors and young people for the first Modulo session of the year

Orchestras for All has just launched its Music Leadership Programme and an exciting series of webinars to develop teachers’ skills, so we caught up with Head of Programmes Anna Williams-Haines to find out more…

First things first: what was the last piece of music you enjoyed listening to, and why?

Just this morning I was listening to a recording of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain playing their cover of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly theme. It’s a very cheery, innovative and interesting arrangement, so I really enjoyed it. It’s just a bit silly and fun, but clever! 

Tell us about your previous experience as a music teacher.

When I first started out in my career, I trained with the Teach First programme and worked for two years in a secondary school in the West Midlands, before moving to London and working full-time in another secondary school for a year.

I’d also been getting involved with National Orchestra for All in its early stages and nominated some of the young people I taught to become inaugural NOFA members!

After three years of teaching, an opportunity came up to work with OFA’s founder, Marianna, and together we developed the Modulo Programme.

Read more: ‘An orchestra is a representation of an effective society’, says Artistic Director >

Although I had a music degree, I didn’t have much experience in actually leading an ensemble – something we’ve found is the experience of lots of music teachers, so we launched Modulo to help other teachers like me develop this skill and build up a culture of music making in schools. In my current role I oversee NOFA and Modulo – and now, our shiny new Music Leadership Training programme!

Orchestras for All’s Artistic Patron, Sian Edwards, shares her expertise on conducting

Are there any challenges for music teachers in relation to inclusion and diversity?

One of the most important things to balance in music education is making space to explore students' musical interests alongside encouraging them to discover music outside their comfort zone.

It’s important that music is taught with real authenticity and to share the interesting, and sometimes challenging, journeys music has been on. It’s also important to teach young people that all musical genres and backgrounds are equally valid and equally interesting. 

Were there any standout moments while working in education?

For me, teaching has always been about making great music. I think the best way you can learn about music is to experience it, not just write or speak about it. Sometimes you have those little lightbulb moments with a young person who didn’t previously think they were particularly musical, but then showed amazing musical progress and grew in confidence.

I have a lot of happy memories of school assembly and class performances that were those significant ‘mini moments’ of progress for students! It’s so important to give them that encouragement and validation, particularly if they’re struggling in other subjects or have special needs but are excelling in music.

Giving young people the opportunity to perform and share their skills on larger scales was another really important part of the role for me: bringing a whole class to perform at the Barbican on their ukuleles was a special moment where they surprised themselves – and their parents – with what they were capable of. 

Read more: Music podcast highlights need ‘to take meaningful action against inequality’ >

You’ve just launched Music Leadership Training at OFA – what's it all about?

We want to kickstart an open culture of music-making in schools that enables teachers and young people to create new ensembles regardless of type of instrument or skill level.

It can often feel like a struggle for teachers who may have the musical skills but lack in confidence because they’ve never had any formal conducting training at university or gone down the traditional academic route. At the heart of MLT is a sense that everybody has the potential to be an ensemble leader. 

It’s all about having the confidence to lead fun and impactful rehearsals, personalised to the needs of the people in your ensemble, and planning well-arranged repertoire that suits a wide range of skill levels. All music leaders have the potential to progress and develop their artistic vision for an ensemble; we want to help guide them on this journey. 

While the modules are designed to suit a music leader for ensembles at a wide range of skill levels, the content is what we view as good practice for ensemble leadership, whether you’re working with a beginner violin group or the London Symphony Orchestra!

Which modules have been popular with music teachers so far?

The first module, ‘Preparing to Lead an Ensemble’, is actually free to access, so that one has been very popular! It’s a great introduction to the three elements explored across the modules: conducting, structuring an ensemble rehearsal and approaches to arranging a piece of music for mixed-skill levels. 

We’ve also got a module called ‘Learning by Ear’, which is all about aural learning approaches and thanks to our amazing partners, The English Folk Dance and Song Society, this will be free to access as well. It’s a handy step-by-step guide to creating a performance  without using any notation – and we’ve had some really positive feedback.

“I would think about who is in your group, what their individual needs are and how you can support each one of them in a personalised way”, says Anna William-Haines.

What’s the one piece of advice you would give to other music teachers who want to run an inclusive ensemble?

I would think about who is in your group, what their individual needs are and how you can support each one of them in a personalised way to have a really enjoyable time during rehearsals. Of course, you want an amazing performance to come out of it, but rehearsals are where you build the skills of young people and the musical identity of your ensemble. 

One of our other MLT modules, ‘Inclusive Rehearsals’, can help teachers and music leaders with this specifically. It includes a fictional case study of a school with young people who have specific needs, and takes you on a journey to help you reflect on how to make an ensemble rehearsal work for them.

And finally, what are your plans for 2021 – do you have any exciting projects in the pipeline?

Oh yes, we’ve just launched our new season of the Modulo Programme – we’re really excited about it and even though we can’t meet up in person this time, the pandemic won’t be stopping us! We’ll be running everything online for as long as we need to, and everyone aged 11-18 who attends a state secondary school is invited to join us. 

It’s free to sign up in 2021 and you’ll even have the opportunity to join online classes with our wonderful orchestra partners – the City of London Sinfonia, BBC Philharmonic and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. We’ve also planned an exclusive series of live webinars on music leadership training for this year (see below for dates). The dream is to do some of these musical activities in person by the summer – but if not, we’ll be sure to find a way! 

Are you a secondary school teacher or music leader and looking to boost your skills? Sign up to our Music Leadership Training programme and stay tuned for our forthcoming series of webinars.

Orchestras for All launches Music Leadership Training Programme with exclusive series of webinars

From free online classes to webinars hosted by world-renowned classical musicians, here’s everything you need to know about Music Leadership Training…

Orchestras for All is excited to announce the launch of its Music Leadership Training Programme – an inspiring set of resources specially designed to boost the skills of music leaders and teachers working in state secondary schools, music hubs /services and community music contexts.

The new initiative and continuing professional development (CPD) programme aims to equip teachers and music leaders with the vital tools and strategies they need to start or develop an ensemble in their school or local community.

Expert training is provided through 10 online modules, covering everything from brushing up your conducting and finding (or creating) suitable music for your ensemble to top tips on how to run an inclusive rehearsal.

Read more: 13 of the best ways to make your youth orchestra more inclusive >

Sian Edwards, Patron at Orchestras for All, shares her expert advice on conducting

You may have already encountered some of our online modules. We’re really pleased to have expanded these with four handy new courses to get stuck into: Conducting Skills 3, Classroom Band, Group Composing and Making Notation Accessible.

Meanwhile, the Programme’s popular introductory module, Preparing to Lead an Ensemble, is now available to enjoy for free – along with Learning by Ear, thanks to support from Orchestra for All’s partner, the English Folk Dance and Song Society.

Sign up to Music Leadership Training >

As part of the launch there will also be an exclusive series of free live webinars, with guest appearances from some of the world’s most respected musicians and music educators.

Taking place via Zoom, the first session, Refresh Your Conducting Skills, is in two parts – with Part 1 next week (23 February) and Part 2 on 2 March. The sessions will be hosted by Sian Edwards, Orchestras for All’s Patron and Head of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Participants interested in joining the first session must register by midday on 19 February.

Speaking about the upcoming webinar, Sian said: “I feel strongly that any orchestra or ensemble, of any skill level, deserves great leadership – and can be transformed by it.

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“Music Leadership Training gives music teachers and music leaders the skills and the confidence they need to stand up in front of an ensemble in their school or community and be that great leader. I am pleased to share the skills and knowledge I have with the extraordinary, dedicated people working at the front line in their schools and communities.”

On 25 March, music leaders are invited to join us for another free webinar on Learning By Ear Ensemble Leadership, led by multi-instrumentalist and composer Emily Askew – helping music leaders develop their confidence in group music making without notation and unlocking musicians’ potential.

Emily Askew shares her top five tips on teaching music aurally

Emily commented: “Aural learning is at the heart of folk music making, but the skills involved are crucial for music making in all contexts and genres.

“Leading an ensemble aurally unlocks musicians' musicianship and ensemble skills, opening up the ensemble for players who don't use western notation or are at an early stage in learning.”

By supporting state secondary school music teachers and music leaders through its new initiative, Orchestras for All aims to break down significant barriers to ensemble music making for 11-18 year olds, whether that’s due to a lack of social or financial support, a physical disability or mental health challenges.

Other live webinars in the series are still to be announced.

Orchestras for All would like to thank the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Rachel Baker Memorial Charity and the English Folk Dance and Song Society for their support in building Music Leadership Training.

Find out more and sign up to our webinars >

13 of the best ways to make your youth orchestra more inclusive

Welcome young musicians who may be facing barriers to music making

In recent years, improving equality, diversity and inclusion has become a top priority for many a workplace – but is there more that can be done for our youth orchestras? 

Differences in age, gender, religion, nationality and sexual orientation can all add value and fresh perspectives to an ensemble, while fostering an open culture that welcomes youth voice is key to improving the line of communication between leaders and their students. 

For 10 years, we’ve been doing all we can here at Orchestras for All to develop our practice and break down the barriers of equality, diversity and inclusion within music education – and although we’re proud of what we’ve learned so far, we know there’s still much to do.

That said, we’ve picked up some handy tips along the way. If you’re a music teacher or leader looking for advice on this area, here are our top tips for supporting your youth orchestra:

1) Welcome young people who may be facing barriers to orchestral music making.

This could be due to their physical disability, mental health condition, sexual orientation, lack of financial support or additional learning needs. Constantly adapt your programme to suit the individual needs of who you are working with.

Read more: A tribute to Lucy Hale, National Orchestra for All’s former Young Composer-in-Residence >

Create a collaborative culture between students in your ensemble

2) Diversify your decision makers for artistic programmes.

This could be achieved by adapting your hiring processes to reach applicants from different backgrounds – the more diverse your workforce, the more you’ll remain open to fresh perspectives.

Plus, recruiting staff who have faced similar barriers to music making as the young people you’re working with will ensure you have positive role models representing your ensemble.

3) Acknowledge young people from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

You should also be welcoming applicants who speak more than one language – after all, music is universal! A great way to support these students during rehearsals or in your external communications is to use clear, simple language and focus more on non-verbal cues.

4) Ensure all genders are equally represented.

Whether it’s during the recruitment stage or when providing your ensemble with musical scores (if these are used), be fair and create the same number of opportunities for everyone.

5) Foster diverse thinking and ensure all voices are heard.

Respect your young people and involve them in your meetings, governance and strategy. Offer one-on-one discussions and encourage students to speak their mind. You could also consider forming a youth board or electing young leaders to represent their group.

When selecting repertoire, consider how it represents diversity

6) Create a collaborative culture within the ensemble.

Encourage members to lead, share their ideas, ask questions and support each other to help them take ownership of their group and ensure that everyone feels included.

7) Make your recruitment process inclusive.

Instead of just auditioning, ask interested players to tell you why they want to join. Don’t make it just about skill level – consider adapting your music to suit the ensemble and create bespoke arrangements. Or even better, do you need to audition at all?

8) Make your workspaces inclusive.

Ensure your environment reflects everyone’s needs – including at gatherings and events. For example, you should offer food and beverages that everyone can eat and drink.

Read more: ‘An orchestra is a representation of an effective society’, says Artistic Director >

9) Form a strong pastoral support team.

This should be tailored to meet the needs of your individual players to protect their physical and emotional welfare.

10) When selecting repertoire, consider how it represents diversity.

Try to avoid creating a programme that is dominated by white male composers of the past – this stigma still exists in classical music and we want to break it!

11) Make your ensemble free to join.

And if this isn’t possible, at least provide generous bursaries for those unable to afford joining fees. You should also investigate ways to fund the hidden costs or burdens of ensemble music-making, whether that’s travel or accommodation.

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12) Seek out organisations and networks that can bring people from a wider range of backgrounds into your ensemble.

This might include a nomination process, where young people are nominated to join the orchestra and don't need to apply themselves.

13) And finally, consider including non-traditional instruments and non-traditional score reading in your practice.

For some young people, reading from manuscripts can be tricky but learning by ear offers an effective alternative. And by keeping your instrumentation diverse, you’ll soon discover there’s nothing quite like the sweet sound of a ukulele to complement a beating drum!

Find out more on how to lead an inclusive ensemble and learning by ear with our Music Leadership Programme >

‘An orchestra is a representation of an effective society’, says Artistic Director Emma Oliver-Trend

From fugues to folk music, and everything in between, meet our new Artistic Director, Emma Oliver-Trend…

What’s your earliest musical memory?

I think that would have to be recorder lessons with my mum! My brother, sister and I were all home-schooled by our mum for a while as she was a school teacher and part of that involved learning how to play the recorder, so I think my earliest musical memory was standing in the lounge with them aged four playing lots of different tunes.

By the age of five I had joined Exeter Children’s Orchestra, so I can also remember meeting in a school with my sister and other young musicians for a two-hour rehearsal every Saturday morning and sitting on these little benches because we were all so tiny! 

I think that may have been some of the most valuable musical training for me – when I first started, I don't think I could play the recorder but very quickly you learn through doing.

Read more: Music podcast highlights need ‘to take meaningful action against inequality’ – here’s how to listen >

Artistic Director Emma Oliver-Trend plays the violin as a young girl

Tell us about yourself and your role at Orchestras for All.

I’m very proud to now be Artistic Director at Orchestras for All and my professional career has spanned well over two decades (can you believe?) in both the arts and education sectors.

I started out at the Welsh College of Music & Drama (now Royal) before completing my Master’s degree at Dartington College of Arts. Then I worked administratively at some amazing organisations, Music Theatre Wales, Welsh National Opera and Dartington Arts.

I also worked as a producer, collaborating with vocal animateurs – but because I was a practising musician, I wondered if maybe it was my calling to be the person leading rather than producing behind the scenes.

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Later on I trained to become a secondary school music teacher as I was keen to learn more about learning – and I come from a family of teachers, so I guess this area has always been my destiny!

By then, I had a good handle on education and decided to stretch my experience, so now I’m a freelance music practitioner and really love it here at Orchestras for All. I’ve created musical arrangements, conducted ensembles and worked with Marianna and the team on forming the artistic programme. 

Emma Oliver-Trend leads the way at a concert with National Orchestra for All

I enjoy focusing my thinking on the how. Choosing the right repertoire is key, but it’s what you do with it that counts. With every community project, you seek to improve the lives of the people you’re working with – it’s important to think about musical and social outcomes.

Has this influenced the development of National Orchestra for All’s Spring theme?

Definitely! Our new theme is ‘The way we see it’ and it’s all about youth voice. While that’s presented in our repertoire, the way we actually run our rehearsals and how we involve young people in our decision-making ties in with the theme too. For me, it’s about community and the relationship between music and society. 

To get that across, we’re using ‘The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’ – an amazing composition written by Benjamin Britten – as the springboard for this season with NOFA and I’m currently working on the arrangement.

Read more: A tribute to Lucy Hale, former Young Composer-in-Residence at National Orchestra for All >

It’s often heralded as the piece that teaches young people about instruments but it’s so much more than that; it presents many different textures. The famous opening theme (the ‘Rondo’) is presented with a unified orchestra that represents solidarity. 

As the piece goes on, you have four instrument families all speaking to each other and then the variations kick in, which allow each instrument to say something unique – there are some rather strong characters in there! Britten made lovely choices when supporting these instruments – for example pairing the oboe line with the violas and lower strings.

Of course, you also have that wonderful fugue where each instrument is heard with its own entry and you get real clarity. Unlike a lot of music that you hear which has a main melody on top, fugues take on an egalitarian form. Everyone is equal and has the same challenge, which I love – you can hear so many layers!

At the end of the piece, you have this amazing moment that always brings me close to tears. The main theme comes in with the bass instruments again… It gives me goosebumps just talking about it! It’s the perfect piece to help us present the idea that an orchestra can reflect society.

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You have solidarity where everyone speaks as one, individual voices can have their say, and a diverse group of people are supported by others who they didn’t expect to meet. There are even agreements and disagreements in this music, so it’s definitely a true representation of today’s society! I can’t think of a more suitable set of principles to explore through music today. 

Alongside Britten, we’re going to be creating two new pieces with NOFA – a bespoke digital project and a live creative work.

Emma Oliver-Trend conducts the National Orchestra for All

What do you enjoy the most about working with young people?

I love the energy they give you. If you want your young people to be energetic and responsive, you need to be energetic and responsive with them. It’s important to be authentic and nurture them in an environment that has a friendly, family-like vibe as I find they appreciate honesty and openness. Now more than ever, it’s important to give young people a voice.

Are inclusive ensembles the way forward?

Oh, absolutely – and inclusivity is central to our work here at Orchestras for All. We’re always looking for ways to improve and working with a wide range of partners to develop our practice.

It’s all about collaboration and we intend to stay at the forefront of those conversations, in the hope that we can inspire and empower even more young people throughout their lives and musical careers.

The former teacher shares her expert advice with aspiring young musicians

And finally, what piece of advice would you give to other young people who are interested in joining an orchestra?

My first piece of advice would be to join an orchestra that has a strong sense of community. Like I mentioned earlier, an orchestra is a representation of an effective society and that offers some real benefits, from boosting your confidence to developing your social and communication skills.

But I don’t mean just talking to people at break time – it’s all about the playing and special musical experiences where you are working really closely with your neighbour.

Since many rehearsals only take place once a week, my second bit of advice would be to play along with the music that you are learning at home. Try to get hold of a CD or recording of the piece and get used to hearing lots of different sounds while you practice your part.

Bring the ensemble into your home! When you all come together again, it’ll feel familiar and you’ll enjoy it much more as a result.

Discover more on National Orchestra for All >

Music podcast highlights need ‘to take meaningful action against inequality’ – here’s how to listen

Orchestras for All Trustee Beth White and Executive Director Nick Thorne join the presenters of Performative as special guests in a new podcast tackling diversity and inclusion in music.

The makers of British arts podcast, Performative, have released a new episode in a bid to highlight the growing need for diversity and inclusion across the music industry.

Hosted by percussionist Chris Pott and double bassist Tom Morgan, the weekly podcast unravels the thoughts and experiences of artists, performers and other creative minds – with previous episodes exploring famous classical composers, the fascinating career of jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald and the work of conductor and organist, Tom Daggett.

In today’s episode, the duo discuss how to break down barriers to orchestral music making with Orchestras for All’s Executive Director, Nick Thorne, and former National Orchestras for All member and Trustee, Beth White.

Describing her personal experience of diversity and inclusion in music, Beth said: “When I joined Orchestras for All, I was 13 years old. Before then I’d only had access to brass bands, so for me it was a great opportunity to join an ensemble and meet people from different backgrounds from around the country. It was my only source of diversity growing up.

“That was a big barrier for me – in classical music, you can only play in an orchestra if you have the strings but you can’t do that with a wind band. Coming from a white mining town where there’s no diversity to then being part of a huge ensemble felt right.”

Read more: A tribute to Lucy Hale, National Orchestra for All's former Young Composer-in-Residence >

Beth White (pictured middle left) attends her first Trustee meeting with Orchestras for All

Beth continued: ”But Orchestras for All aren’t traditional. They have guitars, ukuleles and saxophones – far too big a range for me to name! It breaks down that barrier of people thinking you have to play a certain instrument or look a certain way – and no matter what standard of music you are, they’ll write you a part to play.

“Although they play a lot of classical music, they’ve also done pieces in the past that have been composed by members of the orchestra or included synthesisers and videos. I mean, how many people at the age of 14 can say they’ve played at Leeds’ First Direct Arena in an orchestra with lasers and smoke machines?”

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Speaking about the benefits of joining a diverse ensemble, Nick added: “We see musical, personal and social progression as the same thing. You can develop your personal and social skills through music – and you can develop your musical skills through being on podcasts and talking at conferences to boost your confidence!

“We dedicate so much time to our young people and have someone in the team who connects with their parents and guardians to ensure we develop a pathway that’s individual to them. For Beth, progression might mean going to University in Leeds and studying music but for someone else it might mean having the confidence to go to their music lesson.”

But it’s not just about the playing – Nick also highlights the importance of harnessing youth voice across the industry: “We want to get young musicians involved in our youth board and give them the opportunity to become role models for others facing the same challenges as them, so they can see what’s possible. It’s about belonging.”

And after carrying out research for her university course, Beth says that gender equality is still an issue: “I went to Birmingham Conservatoire and questioned a lot of the orchestra members about equality because in 2018, 69 per cent of the musicians in the world’s top 20 orchestras were male. Once I showed people my research, they started asking me, ‘well why shouldn’t more principal musicians be female?’ – it came as a shock.”

Discover how to run an inclusive ensemble session >

Performative’s new podcast comes after UK-based music education charity, Music Masters, selected 40 organisations to take part in its diversity and inclusion audit tool, I’M IN, late last year.

Rob Adediran, MM’s Executive Director at the time, told DiversityQ: “We were blown away by the response from the sector to the launch of I’M IN. Clearly, organisations ranging in size from small community outfits to our major symphony orchestras are recognising the need to go beyond issuing statements about diversity and start creating inclusive cultures.

“Change starts by taking a hard look at what we are getting wrong and what we are getting right – and I’M IN will help all of the organisations who signed up to do just that.”

National Orchestra for All members

Describing Orchestras for All’s involvement with the tool, Nick Thorne said: “We are proud to have been selected and know we have more work to do in identifying how to break down these barriers.

“We look forward to working with colleagues across the sector to understand how we can better equip ourselves to take meaningful action against inequality through our work.”

Listen to Performative’s new podcast episode via Spotify >

OFA Founder Marianna Hay awarded an MBE

"I am thrilled and delighted to have been awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to music education. However, this honour is certainly not for me alone. It reflects over ten years of extraordinary collective effort. I started out in 2007 as a nervous first year music teacher at Highbury Grove School, Islington as part of the Teach First scheme. I immediately had the good luck to find myself in a school led by an inspirational and supportive head, Truda White, who encouraged me to establish the school's first orchestral programme. Inspired by my students but also frustrated by the barriers they faced in accessing orchestral music-making outside school, I set up Orchestras for All (OFA) in 2011. We started with the National Orchestra for All (NOFA), an orchestra that is open to anyone whatever their circumstances, personal challenges or musical standard. With thanks to three founding partners - Teach First, Achievement for All and Music First - we ran our first course in 2011 for 35 exceptional young people, our founding members.

Since then OFA has grown into an organisation of which I am extremely proud, thanks to so many people who have each played a crucial role - the OFA staff team, trustees, tutors, volunteers, advisors, teachers, schools, partners, funders, guest artists, families, carers, alumni and of course our incredible young musicians. Over the past ten years, hundreds, if not thousands, of people have worked with OFA to open up the transformative experience of orchestral music-making to young people who might not otherwise had the chance. I am immensely grateful to everyone for all they have done and continue to do to make the OFA vision a reality.”

Marianna Hay

From us all at Orchestras for All, congratulations Marianna! We are so proud of you and thank you for all you have done to support young people facing barriers to music making throughout the UK.

Welcome to our new Trustees - NOFA alumni Beth and Joelle!

Orchestras for All believes in the power and importance of young people’s voices. We know that young people have great ideas and important opinions to share about decisions that affect them. Our ambition is to ensure their voices lead the organisation forward, supercharging its future.

National Orchestra for All members already co-create new music that enables their collective voice to be heard throughout NOFA performances, both in style and content. We also have Young Leaders (members aged 16 - 18) and Ambassadors (alumni aged 18 - 20) who take on leadership roles across the year, offering fresh insights and perspectives to lead, motivate, inspire, champion and develop our work and practice.

Now, as the next step in this vital area, we’re excited to announce the appointment of our first Trustees recruited from NOFA alumni: Beth White and Joelle Sogunro.

Beth and Joelle will join our eight existing Trustees, supporting crucial discussions in the lead-up to the launch of a new five-year strategy in Spring 2021 that will continue our mission to break down barriers young people face to music making.

Having been part of Orchestras for All programmes in recent years, Joelle and Beth will bring their own unique experiences to the conversation.

“I’ve been part of Orchestras for All since 2016 and gained so much knowledge and musical appreciation from the charity, which I’m really grateful for. I’d like to take this opportunity to give back to OFA, an organisation that has given me so much.”

— Joelle Sogunro, Trustee

“I would like to bring the voice of the people that benefit from, or have benefitted from, the programmes at Orchestras for All. I’m excited to support OFA to launch its new strategy in Spring 2021 in the best way possible.”

— Beth White, Trustee

Over the coming year, we will be exploring the next evolution of our youth voice strategy, bringing together voices from our Modulo schools with those of National Orchestra for All members past and present in a Youth Advisory Board, chaired by Joelle and Beth.

We’re so excited for a future that integrates youth voice into all conversations; a future that provides a different insight, perspective and representation of our young people, that brings fresh perspectives and challenges our thinking, and which builds a network of advocates for the future.

Or, to think of it another way (and to paraphrase from the inspirational work of Contact, Manchester): If Orchestras for All was a stick of rock, wherever you break it you’d find young people leading - it’s at the core of everything we do.

Beth and Joelle at their first Trustee meeting

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Find out more about Beth and Joelle by clicking on their names below, and meet all of our Trustees here.

Meet Beth

"Being a music production student and trumpet player from Durham, I didn’t have access to any orchestral opportunities growing up - until Orchestras for All was founded. I played within OFA programmes for seven years and in recent years have undertaken volunteer roles. With experience in both classical and popular music, I’ve played in numerous notable venues and with numerous artists, such as Dave Stewart from Eurythmics. These are opportunities that I likely wouldn’t have been able to access without the confidence OFA has instilled in me.

My individual love for music has now developed into a love for sharing music, and giving young musicians the help that I was given, in order to give everyone a fair chance. Music has a strong power that can make us feel every emotion, and it’s this magic that keeps us coming back."

Meet Joelle

"Hello! I am Joelle and have been a part of Orchestras for All since 2016 as a National Orchestra for All member, then as an Ambassador, and now as a Trustee!

I started off in the NOFA trumpet section, but in 2017 started learning the cello aged 17, and so joined the string section for my final year despite being a complete beginner. One of the awesome things about NOFA is that it welcomes players of all abilities to join, and so coming to NOFA every year alone was a huge motivation for me to continue with music at all, especially as I am currently studying a STEM subject at university.

Being a part of NOFA has opened up many opportunities for me, including helping me to join a brass band and several orchestras over the years, so now I would really like to take this opportunity to give back to the charity as a Trustee, and do what I can to help OFA grow. I look forward to working with OFA over the coming year and seeing the impact we have on young people close-up, especially during these trying times."