Orchestras for All relaunches programmes in a bid to improve access to group music-making for young people across the UK

The life-changing programmes aim to break down significant barriers to music-making for young people who need it the most.

With a new season of musical activity just on the horizon, Orchestras for All (OFA) is delighted to announce that it is now recruiting young musicians and schools nationwide as it relaunches two of its core programmes: Modulo and National Orchestra for All.

Specially designed to kickstart a fun culture of inclusive music-making in maintained schools and local communities, Modulo assists under-resourced teachers and music leaders to set up or develop their own ensemble (known as a “Modulo”) of between four and 15 young people aged 11-18, before they team up to play with other groups as one epic orchestra at “Modulo Meets”.

All young people are welcome to join a Modulo regardless of their musical ability, previous experience or chosen instrument – so whether they’re tab-reading guitarists, open string players, keyboardists or simply keen to play a traditional orchestral instrument with other like-minded individuals, there’s room for everyone to thrive.

A recent Modulo participant said: “I feel more confident after this experience because I’ve played in front of a lot of people, so now I feel like I can do anything!”

Another commented: “Go to Modulo if you want to learn how to play a new instrument – but even if you already play one, it’ll still help you to build on your skills.”

Read more: Orchestras for All’s Artistic Director Emma Oliver-Trend announced as host of new webinar for music leaders >

Pictured: Young musicians from schools across the country play together during a Modulo Meet.

A Modulo teacher added: “Watching the pupils supporting each other was such a joy. Although they’re all from the same year group, they’re not necessarily from the same classes but I can see new friendships forming.”

Find out more about the Modulo Programme >

Meanwhile, the charity’s non-auditioned, inclusive national youth orchestra, National Orchestra for All (NOFA), is open to 100 young musicians aged 11-19 who face significant barriers in their daily lives – whether that’s due to physical disability, a mental health condition, rural isolation or economic deprivation.

NOFA harnesses the orchestra as a catalyst for social change, offering transformative experiences that build a young person’s social and communication skills, while also boosting their confidence and introducing them to diverse new communities.

For both NOFA and Modulo, repertoire is carefully selected to represent the season’s theme, with last year’s ‘The Way We See It’ represented by Britten’s iconic ‘Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’, an uplifting musical crossover written by Jack McNeill celebrating club culture, an infectiously catchy arrangement of a Romanian folk tune and a beautiful symphonic poem from Alice Mary Smith. For this next season’s theme, OFA’s repertoire celebrates music and change, along with an exclusive new piece written by members of NOFA.

National Orchestra for All (NOFA) members play the melodica at their 2022 summer residential.

During NOFA’s spring 2022 residential, NOFA oboeist, Lily, said: “I love all the different music we play – I wouldn’t perform this type of music in my orchestra back home, so it’s nice to have that balance between classical music and dance music like ‘Crossfade’ and ‘Spoitoresa’. It’s great to have the variety.

“Being part of NOFA has also helped me to develop as a musician – the music we’re learning takes you out of your comfort zone but not to the point of breaking you, so it’s good to have that little push.”

Meet NOFA’s inspiring musicians >

Seventeen-year-old keyboardist Troy commented: “In secondary school, I didn’t have much going for me and didn’t have many opportunities, but then my teacher found NOFA and suggested that I should apply.

“I’m so happy that I did – it’s amazing and has made my life much more interesting! I can brag about being in an orchestra to my friends but it’s also really fun as there’s loads of activities happening and more opportunities to perform and connect with other people as well.”

NOFA musicians and ambassadors enjoy an evening of games and activities at their spring 2022 residential.

Polly, parent to keen NOFA trumpeter, Cameron, added: “The work OFA does is amazing and there is no other setting where Cameron feels as happy, included and valued as with the NOFA family. Thank you so much for everything your team do to give Cam a place to belong, just the way he is and for bringing out the very best in him.”

Orchestras for All would like to take this opportunity to thank its loyal funders, individual donors and advocates for their ongoing support towards NOFA and the Modulo Programme.

Are you a maintained secondary school with limited access to music-making, or perhaps you’re looking for inspirational events for your students to participate in? Find out more about Modulo and sign up here.

Are you a musician aged 11-16 facing daily barriers, who wants to experience the magic of playing in an inclusive orchestra? Learn more about National Orchestra for All here.

Orchestras for All’s Artistic Director Emma Oliver-Trend announced as host of new webinar for music leaders

“If you’re keen to energise the musicianship and community of your ensemble through thoughtful rehearsal practice, this session is for you!”

Orchestras for All (OFA) is delighted to announce that its Artistic Director, Emma Oliver-Trend, will be hosting a live webinar as part of the charity’s Music Leadership Training programme.

Titled Flip the Script: Redefining Rehearsals, the one-hour session – which is the third event in OFA’s dynamic online series – is scheduled to take place via Zoom on Wednesday 21 September 2022 at 16:15 GMT and will explore the theme of critical listening when leading a young ensemble in classrooms and music hub contexts.

The National Orchestra for All conductor explains: “In the conventional rehearsal model, the ensemble plays a few bars, they stop, the conductor tells them what went wrong and how to fix it and then they try again. Okay, that’s a blunt description and perhaps unfair as this rehearsal practice can easily bring musical progress and great concerts. What’s not to love?

“At Orchestras for All, we value the discipline of ensemble rehearsals and we love it when they’re full of music-making and not too much talking. However, overall this rehearsal practice is not entirely fit for purpose. It’s simply not effective enough in delivering our aims and supporting young people’s musical, personal or social development.

“We are experimenting with rehearsals where active critical listening is owned, explicitly, by everyone. So, if you are interested in energising the musicianship and community of your ensemble through thoughtful rehearsal practice, this session is for you! We’re redefining rehearsals, we’re on a journey and we’d love to share your ideas, so do join the discussion.”

Read more: Watch this epic live concert starring one of the world’s most inclusive youth orchestras >

Pictured: Artistic Director, Emma Oliver-Trend, leads the way at National Orchestra for All’s summer concert

It will surely be a memorable evening both for attendees and the Cornwall-based musician – a keen classical and folk violinist, whose previous roles have included Principal Guest Conductor of the Harlow Symphony Orchestra, Founder Director of the Ware Community Orchestra and a performing member of the Bishop’s Stortford Sinfonia, among others.

Emma has also produced several operas and arts programmes for Welsh National Opera and Dartington Arts, and collaborated with Belgian singer, Nele Van Den Broeck, to pen the stage musical ‘How to fail at being perfect’ – a Young Lyric Production performed at the Lyric Hammersmith in August 2017 and Latitude Festival 2018.

Meanwhile, her current role as Artistic Director at Orchestras for All includes orchestral conducting, creating large-scale inclusive arrangements, leading conducting training for music leaders and contributing towards the artistic programme of the organisation.

Discover Orchestras for All’s programmes >

While Emma’s forthcoming webinar is free to attend, participants are invited to donate what they can to help the charity continue its life-changing work with young people and music leaders nationwide.

It comes after British DJ and composer, Jack McNeill, and music education consultant, Professor Nate Holder, hosted the first two webinars in the online series.

Students from across the country team up with Emma in Manchester for a day of Modulo music-making

Music Leadership Training Programme Manager, Sam Williams, said: “This webinar will focus on an extremely important topic – how to ensure every member of your ensemble has a voice, is listened to, and feels able to contribute. Although the expertise often lies with the conductor or ensemble leader, no group should be a dictatorship, where only one person makes the decisions. To be truly inclusive, a musical ensemble should be flexible enough to accommodate the views of its members, and we really have fostered a culture of this across our programmes at OFA.”

She continued: “Our wonderful Artistic Director, Emma, really lives for inclusivity when she works with young musicians. She is always interested in hearing what people have to say, valuing their contribution and making their feedback mean something in the way she develops artistic themes each season. I couldn’t think of anyone better to deliver this session, which is suitable for music educators and ensemble leaders at any stage.”

Reserve your seat at the webinar >

Watch this epic live concert starring one of the world’s most inclusive youth orchestras

It’ll brighten your day.

In July 2022, National Orchestra for All’s diverse young ensemble treated a Nottingham audience to an afternoon of powerful orchestral music – and it was pure joy.

Titled ‘The Way We See It’ (a tribute to the season’s theme), the one-hour concert was held at the city’s prestigious Albert Hall and celebrated all that the orchestra, better known as NOFA, has achieved over the past two years – and in spite of global uncertainty following the coronavirus pandemic.

While NOFA’s inspiring members each face significant challenges in their daily lives – from physical disability and mental health conditions to rural isolation and economic deprivation – they can leave their troubles at the door when taking centre stage and instead, focus on doing what they love the most: making epic music together.

During the show (watch video above), we see the musicians – who come from all corners of the country – team up with NOFA’s squad of tutors and alumni to perform an eclectic programme of music, accompanied by newly-written spoken word produced in collaboration with witty Nottingham-based poet and comedian, Ben Macpherson.

NOFA cellist and Orchestras for All youth board member, Chloe, told attendees: “Playing in an orchestra is playing with pieces of puzzles. These pieces are like a well-lit forest: enormous and sometimes scary. It’s super important to keep counting.”

Read more: ‘The Way We See It’ – National Orchestra for All’s Nottingham concert in pictures >

Pictured: National Orchestra for All performs a powerful end-of-season concert in Nottingham.

She continued: “One musical family, playing equally important roles, working in unison to create and develop an atmosphere: diverse and talented, very colourful and fast, forgetting to count to four.”

NOFA violinist, Alasdair, added: “Synchronised swimming in sound form. A triangle of unity, mistakes and waves. All of it feels good. The power of an orchestra when everyone works as a team. Work harder, challenge myself more, sitting next to a great musician, forgetting to count to four.”

They were joined by esteemed conductor, José Salazar, who first rose to fame after participating in Venezuela’s prestigious El Sistema programme and was coined by the media as “the world’s youngest conductor”.

It was surely a memorable occasion, with each piece of music specially selected to reflect the season’s modern theme as well as one of Orchestras for All’s key values: harnessing the power of youth voice.

Repertoire included a stunning rendition of ‘Andromède’, a symphonic poem drawn from the myth of Greek goddess, Andromede, which was penned by French-Irish female singer, pianist and composer, Augusta Holmès, in 1883.

National Orchestra for All members take a moment from playing to enjoy spoken word at the event.

This was followed by ‘Crossfade’, British composer Jack McNeill’s unique take on a musical crossover that expertly fuses traditional orchestral instrumentation with electronic influences and boasts a steady beat reminiscent of popular club culture.

Listen to other music by Jack McNeill and NOFA >

And of course, no summer concert would be complete without an iconic masterpiece from one of the late great composers – this time, Britten’s ‘Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’.

Also known as ‘Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell’, the spectacular 1945 work is based on the second movement of the Abdelazer suite, ‘Rondeau’, and was originally intended to introduce children to the instruments of the orchestra – making it just as relevant with classical fans today.

On the surface, we hear variations played by a whole host of instruments and groups, with the style of each section telling us about a particular quality of that instrument, while characters tell their stories through the music within a unifying theme that celebrates the diversity of the orchestra itself.

Grand finale: Audience members take to their feet and cheer on NOFA’s bright young musicians.

Finally, a lively performance of ‘Spoitoresa’ – arranged by Mahala Rai Banda, OFA’s Artistic Director, Emma Oliver-Trend, and Jack McNeill – had audience members up on their feet as NOFA trumpeter, Tashan, encouraged a memorable moment of crowd participation with a good-humoured lesson in body percussion.

On behalf of everyone at Orchestras for All, we would like to thank each of our loyal funders – Arts Council England, Association of British Orchestras – Sirens Fund, Finzi Trust, Foyle Foundation, Headley Trust, Promenaders’, Musical Charities, The Radcliffe Trust, Michael Tippett Musical Foundation, Samuel Gardner Memorial Trust, Sarum Hall School Parents' Association, University of Warwick and Youth Music – as well as our individual donors, advocates, Trinity Catholic School, photographer Will Pace, Broaden Films, orchestral and wellbeing tutors as well as our team of volunteers for making NOFA’s summer residential and live concert possible.

Please support us in breaking down barriers to music education and donate today >

Ben Macpherson: ‘Put the notes in the instruments of musicians, not those who can pay to hear them’

The British writer and performer recently collaborated with National Orchestra for All, so we caught up with him to find out more…

1.     Please introduce yourself and tell us a little about what you do.

I’m Ben Macpherson, a writer and performer based in Nottingham whose work stretches from serious theatre all the way through to nonsense poetry aimed at children and their families. Within that work is sketch comedy that has been heard on Radio 4, improvised plays from the Star Wars universe and much more.

Linking all of these together is a feeling of playfulness and the role of individuals in relation to their community. For over a decade I’ve been a part of the Nottingham creative scene, making connections in theatre, comedy and spoken word circles. This has led to a career that thinks across medium, building works that draw on many different disciplines for a pretty unique writer and performer.

2.     Who (or what) inspired you to become a writer and performer? 

My route to becoming a creative came through nonsense poetry and sketch comedy. I fit this around a normal job for seven years after university but the opportunity to go full-time came up in 2020 and I took it.

It was a bit scary making that choice during a pandemic but well worth it now. As I worked at my craft I got involved with improv (improvisational) theatre, scripted theatre and more serious spoken word, so I am now excited to work in any range of fields that I get to explore words in.

Read more: ‘The Way We See It’ – National Orchestra for All’s Nottingham concert in pictures >

Pictured: Spoken word artist, Ben Macpherson, runs a creative workshop with National Orchestra for All

3.    What have been some of your career highlights so far?

With such a wide range of work, it is hard to choose any one particular highlight. Working on my first full length play earlier in 2022 was wonderful. It is called Horsemen, and tells the tale of the four horsemen of the apocalypse immediately after the world ends when they are stuck in a limbo of their own creation.

It was dark, funny and ultimately hopeful about choosing the right path for yourself. I’m also very proud of working with Michael Rosen at the Nottingham Poetry Festival.

4.    You recently collaborated with National Orchestra for All in Nottingham – could you tell us a little about that?

I was recently brought in to work with NOFA members as a spoken word artist to create new spoken word sections for Benjamin Britten’s ‘Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.’ The piece originally takes its audience through the sections and instruments of an orchestra step by step but the plan for this work was to capture the spirit of an orchestra.

We explored what it means to the young people who are part of it. The group I worked with created so much and shared so freely, exploring their relationships with each other, their instruments, their sections and the expectations put on them as musicians. I was so proud of what they had achieved, the full symphony of personal, poignant and playful.

Learn more about National Orchestra for All >

5.    What did you enjoy the most about working with NOFA?

It was delightful to see these musicians show their creativity in a different way. Skills in rhythm and timing came so naturally to them and the pieces were so varied and creative, from an acrostic poem exploring the panic of a musician performing to the back and forth of two performers ribbing each other’s sections for being too loud or egotistical. Everyone shared their words courageously and got a brilliant response.

“The group of young musicians I worked with at NOFA created so much and shared so freely,” says Ben

6.    Comedy writing is your “first great love” – did you try to incorporate this into your work with NOFA?

Absolutely! Often people get intimidated by spoken word and poetry because it feels like it needs to be serious, worthy or introspective. As a comedian I have learnt to take comedy seriously and as for whether something is worthy or not, it is our job as performers to decide what is worthy for an audience.

Who says what we examine in ourselves has to be painful? Sharing and exploring fun naturally creates comedy, because we laugh at the connection we recognise in others. The NOFA members who shared their words invited audiences into their world, where we could connect with familiar relationships and feelings – no wonder that got laughs!

Read more: “The final performances were astounding!”: National Orchestra for All’s Manager reflects on her year >

7.    Why do you feel that diversity, inclusion and youth voice are so important in today’s world?

The decision makers in the arts so often fit a particular mould. They often come from a degree privilege with traits that align with a western patriarchal optimum. That is increasingly not reflective of society where, as the world shrinks more voice can be heard.

By putting diversity and inclusion at the heart of your creative work, you help tell new and exciting stories. You hear songs that you don’t know the words to and you discover something new. Of course, new can be scary and challenging but by embracing this an engine of collaborations get discovered.

Youth voice is the fuel that drives the engine. If young voices aren’t included then arts go extinct and you see a shrinking cultural literacy and interest of the population. If that diminishes it becomes harder for everyone, from programmers to performers, to keep the arts alive.

Ben Macpherson prepares National Orchestra for All’s young musicians for their final summer performance

8.    If you could share three top tips with aspiring writers/performers, what would they be?

If you want to write it, it’s worth writing about. If you want to perform it, it is worth performing. The only person you have to please with what you create is yourself. Audiences and praise are fun (really, really fun), but if what you are doing doesn’t matter to you then it will slowly take the joy from it.

Find your community. They will help you grow and teach you more than you could imagine. If performing is your thing then try a theatre group or comedy open mic night. If writing is more your speed, then there are dozens of writing support groups and you can find these both online and in person. The barriers are coming down.

If something is worth doing, it is worth doing badly. As creatives it is easy to get caught up in the pursuit of perfect. The problem with that is perfect is subjective. Our memories make things perfect so write the terrible first version of an idea, recite your poem and forget your words. You can always edit and fine tune later.

9.    And finally, why should people join Orchestras for All’s mission in breaking down barriers to music-making?

Orchestras for All is vital for the future of orchestral music. It directly challenges the paradigm of elitist music by putting the notes in the instruments of the musicians, not the hands of the people who can pay for it. In one of our writing sessions we talked about how the group engaged with orchestral music outside of the NOFA setting and one of the most popular ways was the music of film and video games.

These routes have broken down barriers to hearing the music of an orchestra, so why should the barriers to making orchestral music be any higher?  If great young musicians are gradually blocked out then the musical world shrinks and creativity withers until audiences are stuck hearing the same canon of canons, symphonies and fugues as the art fossilises. With the amazing talent and dedication of NOFA’s performers, tutors and organisers that will not be allowed to happen.

Please support our life-changing work with young musicians and donate today >

‘The Way We See It’ – National Orchestra for All’s Nottingham concert in pictures

A colourful selection of memories from our youth orchestra’s summer extravaganza, courtesy of photographer Will Pace.

1. Trumpeter, Tashan, welcomes audience members to National Orchestra for All’s end-of-season concert.

2. National Orchestra for All (NOFA): the UK’s only fully-inclusive, non-auditioned youth orchestra.

3. Setting up our instruments at iconic Nottingham venue, the Albert Hall Conference Centre.

4. Orchestras for All’s Artistic Director, Emma Oliver-Trend, prepares to lead the way.

5. Emma was joined by special guest and internationally-recognised conductor, José Salazar.

6. Brass at the ready…

7. Our marvellous woodwind section!

8. NOFA collaborated with writer Ben Macpherson to produce spoken word for the event. (Pictured: Kali)

9. Sharing powerful messages through music, humour and rhyme. (Pictured: Vanessa)

10. Our young people blew everyone away with their inspiring words. (Pictured: Alasdair)

11. NOFA keyboardist, Troy, truly makes an impact.

12. Inclusivity means welcoming all kinds of instruments – even melodicas! (Pictured: Kali, Matt, Jesse)

13. Breaking down barriers: guitarist, Kit, rocks out to Britten.

14. The bassooner the better… (Pictured right: Isabelle)

15. Say hello to the strings!

16. Orchestral tutor, Andres, creates a powerful sound with keen percussionist, Abz.

17. We’ll never tire of hearing the cello.

18. Fluttering flautists…

19. Thomas (pictured left) flew all the way from Northern Ireland to perform at the event!

20. The cheerful colours of our ensemble’s t-shirts were chosen by our young people.

21. We’ll always make time for sweet violin solos.

22. Our wellbeing tutors always know how to light up the room.

23. Being part of this wonderful community makes us smile! (Pictured: Tom)

24. Musical highlight: an energetic rendition of Mahala Rai Banda’s Balkan folk tune, ‘Spoitoresa’.

25. Trumpeter, Cameron, making memories with his pals in the brass.

26. Standing tall at the Albert Hall. (Pictured: Tashan and Ricardo)

27. National Orchestra for All alumni, Elen and Declan, were buzzing after the show!

28. Wellbeing tutor, George, was on hand to congratulate our inspiring young performers.

29. NOFA trombonist, Haseeb, bids farewell to his orchestra friends after an epic summer of music-making.

30. “Hip, hip, hooray!” – NOFA cellist, Michael, celebrates the end of a fantastic concert with our audience.

Thank you to all who attended ‘The Way We See It’ – our young musicians had a blast and it wouldn’t have been the same without you!

On behalf of everyone at Orchestras for All, we would like to thank each of our loyal funders – Arts Council England, Association of British Orchestras – Sirens Fund, Finzi Trust, Foyle Foundation, Headley Trust, Promenaders’, Musical Charities, The Radcliffe Trust, Michael Tippett Musical Foundation, Samuel Gardner Memorial Trust, Sarum Hall School Parents' Association, University of Warwick and Youth Music – as well as our individual donors, advocates, photographer Will Pace, Broaden Films, orchestral and wellbeing tutors and team of volunteers for making NOFA’s summer residential and live concert possible.

Missed out? Don’t fret – an exclusive recording of NOFA’s summer concert is coming soon, so watch this space…

To fund a life-changing programme like National Orchestra for All, please donate today >

“The final performances were astounding!”: National Orchestra for All’s Manager reflects on her year

The end of a truly special season…

At the start of 2020, National Orchestra for All’s core team of staff had no idea that all their plans for the next cohort of young musicians would swiftly be scrapped and re-imagined in a way that the season had never been delivered before.

My name is Paula Morgan and I joined Orchestras for All (OFA) in February 2022 as NOFA’s new Programme Manager – a role I proudly took on. Shortly after, we would be delivering two residentials in person for the first time since the effects of the pandemic swept the nation.

No easy task. However, my motivation was spurred on by the NOFA members who had kept the orchestra alive via Zoom in spite of the world rapidly changing around them.

When planning the residential in April, a lot of thought and consideration went into how these young people would feel after being placed in a room of more than 100 people and, for some of them, playing their instrument outside the safety of their own home for the first time ever.

Read more: National Orchestra for All comes to Nottingham this summer with a powerful end-of-season concert >

National Orchestra for All musicians gather during their spring residential in Birmingham

Making music during a global pandemic

We’re all aware of the devastating impact the pandemic has had – especially on our young people – and so, for NOFA, our wellbeing programme was more important this year than ever. Artistically, they had been learning online for the past two years and finally had the opportunity to bring it all together.

We were so lucky to host our spring residential at iconic music venue, the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Our young musicians travelled from every corner of the UK on buses, trains, planes, and taxis.

While there were a few anxious faces meeting us for the first time, many excited members were glad to be reunited with old friends. Others were curious about what the next few days would entail. We had a huge, friendly support team on hand to help guide them throughout as well as our wonderful team of orchestral tutors, wellbeing tutors, core staff members, volunteers and of course, NOFA’s influential Young Ambassadors.

We spent the next few days rehearsing the season’s diverse selection of repertoire, honing our skills and spending time socially to bond as a cohort.

The famed recital evening, a tradition enjoyed by young people and adults alike at each NOFA residential, had us all in tears as usual. The final performances (watch below) were astounding! Despite some of our young musicians struggling during the week and having to take time out, they all got on stage in the end and it sounded incredible.  

Experiencing for the first time – and in person – what NOFA is able to achieve in a few short days blew me away and spurred me on even more to prepare for our next residential.

A summer to remember

NOFA’s summer residential was hosted in Nottingham at Trinity Catholic School (also known as the school of the Kanneh- Mason siblings) and provided the perfect space for our ensemble to gather together.

With NOFA’s end-of-season public performance just on the horizon at the Albert Hall Conference Centre, we all made the most of our fun-filled week of playing music together, rehearsing the repertoire and welcoming young people who had attended in-person for the first time.

We were also thrilled to have José Ángel Salazar-Marin, Director of El Sistema Greece, to work with our young people, alongside OFA’s brilliant Artistic Director, Emma Oliver-Trend.

Throughout the season, the level of commitment, dedication, patience and participation shown from everyone involved was astounding. This paid off after witnessing the orchestra’s memorable final performance – featuring striking new words written by NOFA members and spoken word artist, Ben MacPherson – at the end of our summer residential.

Here are a few of my favourite quotes from our young musicians before the final performance:

NOFA trumpeter, Tashan, said: “We’ve got a concert coming up! I’m super excited – we’re gonna play quite a few fun pieces at the Albert Hall. I can’t wait!”

Another NOFA member said: “I’m looking forward to the adrenaline rush that we get when we finish playing our pieces. [After the course], it’ll be sad though to see all our friends go back to wherever they came from!”

National Orchestra for All performs live in concert at the Albert Hall Conference Centre in Nottingham

A keen percussionist added: “Guys, just remember: percussion is the best section! Make sure to listen out for our amazing solo during ‘The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’.”

The OFA team were also really pleased to have received so much positive feedback from our audience members:

• “As parents to sit in the audience and watch [our daughter] being part of this truly amazing and talented orchestra was one of our proudest moments!”

•  “I saw your recent concert at the Albert Hall, Nottingham. It was brilliant. Good enough for the London Albert Hall!”

• “Inspiring. Elevating. Fun.”

Final thoughts

To get through a pandemic and wrap up the season in the way that we did was truly special.

One NOFA member took to their feet to shout, “Hip hip!”, to which we responded, “Hooray!”. So, I say hip hip hooray to many more events with NOFA and would like to thank anyone reading this who helped us make this season happen or came to see us perform.

We’ll be sharing an image gallery of our favourite moments very soon and for anyone who missed out, or for those who would love to see it again, a video recording of NOFA’s final concert will also be available to view in full – watch this space!

To fund a life-changing musical programme like NOFA, please donate today >

Conductor José Salazar announced as special guest at National Orchestra for All’s summer concert

Pictured: Venezuelan violinist and conductor, José Ángel Salazar-Marin

“Music shouldn’t just be for the educated; our responsibility as musicians is to find new ways of making it accessible to everyone.”

Orchestras for All (OFA) is delighted to announce that José Ángel Salazar-Marin has been appointed as guest conductor at National Orchestra for All’s forthcoming summer concert.

Titled ‘The Way We See It’, the highly-anticipated recital, which is free to attend, takes place on Friday 29 July at the Albert Hall Conference Centre in Nottingham and celebrates all that the 100-strong ensemble has achieved over the past two years – and with José leading the way, it’s sure to be an afternoon to remember.

The esteemed violinist and international Maestro first rose to fame at the age of 14 after participating in Venezuela’s prestigious El Sistema programme, which seeks to use music education as a vehicle for social change – cultivating an ‘affluence of spirit’ that today brings hope, joy and positive social impact to 400,000 children throughout the country as well as their families and local communities.

Despite growing up in a household with very little exposure to orchestral music, José’s involvement in El Sistema opened new doors of musical opportunity and the talented teenager soon found himself leading between 70 and 80 musicians in the Youth Orchestra of Nueva Esparta – earning him a media reputation as the ‘world’s youngest conductor’.

Since then, José’s career has taken him to new heights and he is currently Artistic Director at El Sistema Greece, where he hopes to inspire other young people who might wish to follow in his footsteps – making him the perfect person to lead the way at National Orchestra for All’s musical extravaganza.

Read more: National Orchestra for All is coming to Nottingham this summer with a powerful end-of-season concert >

We caught up with José ahead of the concert (watch video above), to find out more about conducting and why breaking down barriers to music-making is so vital…

Who or what inspired you to become a conductor?

“The first conductor I saw was Thomas Clamor – he was in Venezuela to work with a brass ensemble. I saw how happy he was, with all these marvellous gestures and smiles – how all this energy was just flowing around and how this environment was created.

“Apart from the music and its quality, I could feel that everybody was part of something – connected – and I just thought, ‘I want to be part of that’.”

Are you looking forward to working with National Orchestra for All this summer?

“What you do is marvellous. I’m really happy that you are the kind of organisation that is doing so much good for a lot of people. I’m excited and motivated to join you but also, I think this will be a really nice learning experience as well.

Meet National Orchestra for All’s musicians >

“I’ll do the best I can working with all these talented young people but everything that I receive from them will give me a lot of ideas about how to move forward. When I talk to teachers, I say that we’re like superheroes with a belt of different tools. I think that by [working with] Orchestras for All, it will give me some tools that I don’t have in my belt, so I’m really looking forward to it!”

“I think the best conductors are those who are really connected to people,” says the young Maestro.

What is the role of the conductor in terms of supporting the wellbeing of young musicians?

“I think a conductor is a facilitator and motivational coach. You have to bring out the best in young people but at the same time, be sensible enough to recognise what they need. You need to facilitate the process in which they’ll discover what they need and then express it.

“It’s just as important to focus on the artistic quality of what we do and as a musician, I try to pass on the best qualities I can. So yes, we are an educational programme, we are focused on wellbeing and we want young people to grow and develop themselves in a human way but also, we’re giving our best artistry-wise. My mission is to bring these things at the same level and always work on them in parallel.”

Read more: ‘We need to support the next generation of change makers’ – arts expert explains why wellbeing is vital for young musicians >

Can you share three top tips for aspiring conductors?

“First of all, you have to really love music – kind of become obsessed with it! Read about it, live with it, listen to it, compare it. As a conductor, you become a bit like a researcher – you’re always looking for new ideas and have to renew the ideas that you had because times change and we need to adapt.

“The second thing is that I don’t think the autocratic image of the conductor exists anymore; it’s more about team-playing, being a musician, being part of a group and enabling people to make music or express and discover who they are through music.

“The third thing is to never lose touch with humanity. Sometimes, when you get into the music business you can become too stiff or old-school, so I think the best conductors nowadays are those who are really connected to people – who are gentle, humble and open, always trying to make people feel good.”

José Ángel Salazar-Marin will be joining National Orchestra for All this summer as guest conductor.

What is the future of orchestral music?

“There are many new and interesting things happening – the inclusion of more female composers in the repertoire, the inclusion of more female conductors and musicians, and having an orchestra running programmes for the community. It’s not only about the image of the orchestra wearing a bow-tie and a nice concert hall but also, the image of an orchestra that plays on the street for people or who sits with the audience.

“As an institution, we need to invent new ways to motivate people to come into this world of music. Music isn’t something that should just be for the educated; our responsibility as musicians is to find new ways of making it accessible to everyone.”

Why should others join Orchestras for All’s mission to break down barriers to group music-making?

“Doing something good for others is as good as doing something for yourself – we live in a community. We’re social beings and I think that when others are better, you are also part of something better. The mission of an organisation like Orchestras for All – or of organisations like El Sistema and Sistema Greece where I work – is about bringing art closer to everyone and building a better society.

“The real value of music is watching people grow – creating spaces where there is dialogue, inclusion, no discrimination, respect for feelings and emotions, and where you motivate young people to help each other, listen to each other, be patient and discover new things as a team.

“You can have an orchestra of 300 young people and maybe only three or four will become professional musicians – but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that these experiences and the training will stay with them for the rest of their lives. When they grow up and go into their chosen field, they’ll always remember these values. So, [OFA] is an organisation worth supporting for the betterment of everyone.”

Book free tickets to National Orchestra for All’s summer concert >

National Orchestra for All comes to Nottingham this summer with a powerful end-of-season concert

This one’s not to be missed…

Orchestras for All (OFA) is excited to announce that its National Orchestra for All (NOFA) members will be performing live in concert this summer – and we would love for you to join us!

Titled ‘The Way We See It’, the musical extravaganza – which is free to attend – is due to take place at the Albert Hall Conference Centre in Nottingham on Friday 29 July at 3:00p.m. and will celebrate all that our epic orchestra has achieved over the past two years.

From stomping Balkan tunes and anthemic clubby dance, to rousing Romantic music and one of Britten’s most iconic works, ‘The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’ (1945) – including newly-written spoken words – the eclectic programme of music will surely make it an afternoon to remember.

Along with OFA’s Artistic Director, Emma Oliver-Trend, the ensemble will be led by esteemed international maestro and violinist, José Ángel Salazar – who quickly rose to fame at the age of 14 after participating in Venezuela’s El Sistema music programme and became the world’s youngest conductor. Since then, José’s musical career has taken him to new heights and seen him work with a host of established orchestras as well as with communities of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Artistic Director at Orchestras for All, Emma Oliver-Trend, said: “We are all feeling really excited about NOFA’s summer concert. The friendship, commitment to the orchestra and love of music really shine through in our young people’s performance.”

Read more: Orchestras for All wins award for Outstanding Musical Initiative at the Music and Drama Education Awards 2022 >

She continued: “This is a showcase of some superb orchestral music and hopefully, with something for everyone. I'm particularly excited that we are finding fun and easy ways for the audience to get involved in the performance too, so they get to share in the joy that is NOFA. A fun, friendly, family concert!”

Aged between 11 and 19, NOFA’s diverse young members come from all corners of the country and thanks to our charity’s fully-inclusive, non-auditioned programme, they have been able to experience the joy of music-making with others regardless of the daily barriers they face.

Orchestras for All is also working in close partnership with The Trinity Catholic School as part of the event, with a group of its pupils performing live alongside NOFA.

Nottingham Music Hub CEO, Ian Burton, said: “I’m really pleased that the National Orchestra for All is coming to Nottingham. Their work is inspirational in enabling young musicians with significant challenges to engage in orchestral music making and there is real synergy between their approach and that of the music hub here in Nottingham. Their music making is joyous – do go to hear it if you can!”

Free tickets are available to book via Eventbrite and to discuss any queries or access needs, please contact NOFA Programme Manager, Paula, via email at paula.morgan@orchestrasforall.org.

On behalf of everyone at Orchestras for All, our sincere gratitude goes out to our individual donors and loyal funders – Arts Council England, Youth Music, Association of British Orchestras, The Michael Tippett Musical Foundation, The Foyle Foundation, The Radcliffe Trust, Finzi Trust and The Samuel Gardner Memorial Trust – for making this concert possible.

Do spread the word, share the news with your network and we hope to see you there!

Book your free tickets via Eventbrite > 

17 LGBTQIA+ musicians who totally rock our world

Ready to make your playlist more inclusive? Then read on…

Here at Orchestras for All, we value equality, diversity and inclusion. That’s why for us, it doesn’t matter whether or not our young musicians (and others, of course) are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning, intersex or asexual.

From rock stars to pop divas, and everyone in between, many of the world’s best-loved singers and composers are members of the LGBTQIA+ community – and we celebrate each and every one of them.

Are you in need of inspiration for your next playlist? Here are just a few musical icons who happen to be out and proud…

Read more: Watch this mesmerising digital work created by 100 young musicians >

1. Benjamin Britten

This late, great composer and pianist penned the score for several classical works, including 1945 opera, Peter Grimes, and ‘The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’ (1946) – a playful piece that was recently adapted for the 100 young musicians in National Orchestra for All.

Although Britten lived in a time and place where homosexuality was illegal, the Suffolk-born composer was an openly gay man. His many love letters to tenor, Sir Peter Pears, were later used in an exhibition to mark the 50th anniversary of The 1967 Sexual Offences Act, the law that started the revolutionary process of decriminalising homosexuality in England and Wales.

2. SOPHIE

Scottish singer-songwriter and DJ, SOPHIE, is best known for releasing the avant-garde pop tracks ‘Bipp’, ‘Lemonade’ and ‘Faceshopping’, and producing new music for a number of high-profile artists – from Madonna and Kim Petras, to Charli XCX and Lady Gaga.

Despite having a loyal fanbase, SOPHIE had remained largely anonymous until releasing the single ‘It’s Okay to Cry’ in 2017, which was the first time the singer’s voice and image had been shared online. SOPHIE, who preferred not to use gendered or non-binary pronouns, used the video (see below) to come out as a trans woman. At the 61st Grammy Awards, the singer made history as one of the first openly transgender artists to be nominated in the category for Best Dance/Electronic Album – a huge step forward for the LGBTQIA+ community.

3. Jamie Barton

Quirky mezzo-soprano, Jamie Barton, has established herself as one of opera’s most exciting young artists, with her velvety rich tone and commanding presence. The nose-studded singer’s career highlights have included singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” for Macy’s annual 4th of July fireworks display, performing at 80th birthday galas for Sherrill Milnes and Marilyn Horne, and debuting a new work at Tanglewood with musicians Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax and Colin Jacobsen.

Jamie has also become a role model for those experiencing body shaming or issues over their sexuality. She told The Guardian, “I came out later in life, not because I was in the closet but because I didn’t know. I was doing Rheingold in Houston, Texas, in 2014 when I realised I was attracted to a woman. Six months later I came out fully. Bisexuality is too often seen as fake. Dearest friends said maybe you’re really a lesbian. And if you date someone of the opposite sex, it’s as if you’re straight again. Neither is the case for me. It’s so important to speak out.”

4. Sir Elton John

Legendary English singer, songwriter and composer, Sir Elton John, first started playing the piano at the early age of four. Since then, he has achieved record sales of over 300 million worldwide. His catchy singles, ‘Tiny Dancer’, ‘Your Song’ and ‘I’m Still Standing’, have all become household favourites with music fans and in 2019, the singer’s life was played out by Welsh actor Taron Egerton in musical biopic, Rocketman, which is based on Sir Elton’s song of the same name.

When asked what message he would share with young LGBTQIA+ people who are struggling with their sexuality or gender identity, the 74-year-old singer told Variety: “Just be yourself. It’s wonderful to be gay. I love being gay. I really do. I think I wouldn’t have had the life I’ve had if I hadn’t been gay. And I’m very proud of that.”

5. Halsey

Born in New Jersey, Halsey (Ashley Frangipane) first started writing music aged 17. In 2012, the electropop singer took to social media to share her songs and these soon caught the attention of other YouTube and Tumblr users – in particular, a parody of Taylor Swift’s song, ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’. Since then, Halsey has sold over a million copies of her chart-topping albums, which include Room 93, Badlands and Manic.

As well as regularly donating to pro-LGBTQIA+ organisations, Halsey often weaves her bisexuality into her music and speaks out about the challenges that come with this, such as erasure and the misconception that it’s just a phase. During a GLAAD Media Awards speech in 2018, she said: “I'm a young, bisexual woman, and I've spent a large part of my life trying to validate myself – to my friends, to my family, to myself – trying to prove that who I love and how I feel is not a phase. It’s not part of some confusion that's going to change or could be manipulated.”

6. Kim Petras

German pop star, Kim Petras, is another singer who recorded her own music as a young person and independently released her debut single, ‘I Don’t Want it at All’, in 2017. After going viral on Spotify, Kim released her debut album, Clarity, and impressed fans by launching a nine-week campaign that involved releasing one new single per week.

The LA-based singer, who came out as trans and began hormone therapy by the age of 12, has said it is crucial for parents to listen to young people when they say they have been born in the wrong body. Petras told the Washington Post: “I want to be a role model for young trans kids. My whole teen life was dedicated to saying, ‘Look, I’m transgender, I’m a normal person.’ I always want to keep fighting for the LGBTQIA+ community because that’s been my home.”

7. Freddie Mercury

Best known for being the lead singer of British rock band, Queen, Freddie Mercury blew audiences away with his energetic performances and impressive four-octave vocal range. His talent for songwriting was unmistakable – with hits such as ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, ‘We Are the Champions’ and ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ all making it to the top 10 of the UK chart.

While Freddie had preferred not to label his sexuality at the time, he openly enjoyed relationships with both men and women during his glittering musical career.

8. Janelle Monáe

Known for her daring fashion sense and infectiously catchy songs, Janelle Monáe landed her big break in the music industry after being invited by rapper, Big Boi, to perform with American hip-hop duo, OutKast. Today, the singer-songwriter, actor, activist and model has several albums to her name, including The ArchAndroid, The Electric Lady and Dirty Computer, and received eight Grammy nominations.

Although Janelle initially came out as bisexual, she told Rolling Stone: “Being a queer black woman in America, someone who has been in relationships with both men and women – I consider myself to be free… But then later I read about pansexuality and was like, ‘Oh, these are things that I identify with too. I’m open to learning more about who I am.”

9. Leonard Bernstein

When he wasn’t on stage leading prestigious orchestras like New York Philharmonic, American conductor Leonard Bernstein found joy through composing. In 1957, he wrote the beautiful score for musical West Side Story, which explores the rivalry between two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds, the Jets and the Sharks. The Broadway show and its memorable songs – including ‘Maria’, ‘America’ and ’I Feel Pretty’ – was later made into a movie by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins.

Despite his 27-year marriage to TV star, Felicia Montealegre, Leonard Bernstein chose to have male lovers after she died. According to Arthur Laurents, who worked closely with the musician on West Side Story, Leonard was “a gay man who got married. He wasn’t conflicted about it at all. He was just gay.”

10. Kehlani

Kehlani Parrish first rose to fame as a contestant on season six of America’s Got Talent as part of teenage pop group, Poplyfe. The R&B singer and dancer later went solo, releasing albums such as Cloud 19 and You Should Be Here, but it was her single ‘Honey’ – an acoustic love song to another woman – that really caught the attention of the LGBTQIA+ community.

In April 2018, Kehlani shared a series of tweets explaining: “I'm queer. Not bi, not straight. I'm attracted to women, men, REALLY attracted to queer men, non-binary people, intersex people, trans people. lil poly pansexual.” Now, the singer – who has the word ‘fluid’ tattooed across her collarbone – identifies as a lesbian and is polyamorous. She told DIVA: “I have a lot of queer family. I remember being hella young and celebrating when gay marriage was legalised out here. My family went to Pride every year. I’m super blessed, very grateful.”

11. Thorgy Thor

Brooklyn-based drag performer, Thorgy Thor, has always loved dressing up. Known to friends and family as Shane Galligan, the self-taught performance artist became an instant hit with TV audiences after appearing as one of 12 contestants on the eighth season of popular TV series, RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Thorgy Thor – who plays violin, viola and cello and has a university degree in violin and viola performance – had expressed an interest in setting up her own orchestra during the show. In 2018, this dream became a reality when the unique ensemble, titled ‘Thorgy and the Thorchestra’, made its concert debut in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

12. Lil Nas X

American rapper and singer, Montero Lamar Hill (also known as Lil Nas X), became an overnight celebrity following the viral success of his 2019 country/hip-hop anthem, ‘Old Town Road’, on TikTok. As well as receiving 760 million views on YouTube to date, the standout track has also set a new record for the longest-running song at the No. 1 spot on Billboard Hot 100.

Following the song’s release, The Grammy Award-winner, who came out as gay during Pride Month, told CBS that public figures coming out will “always help” others who may be struggling but believes there is “still much to be done”.

13. girl in red

Norwegian singer-songwriter, girl in red (Marie Ulven Ringheim), emerged online after sharing DIY songs from her bedroom about sexuality and mental health. She told Complex: “I started making my way through GarageBand in 2017 and just recording all these feelings I was having and putting them on SoundCloud.” Her music and honest lyrics resonated with fans and she released her debut album, If I Could Make It Go Quiet, in April 2021.

Now, the indie pop star – who taught herself how to play the guitar and piano – has become something of a queer icon, with women often using her stage name in the question, “Do you listen to girl in red?”, when asking about each others’ sexuality.

14. Against Me!

Florida-based punk rock band, Against Me!, is the brainchild of lead vocalist and guitarist, Laura Jane Grace, who is currently joined by members James Bowman, Andrew Seward and Atom Willard. Keen to become a musician, Laura bought her first guitar aged eight with money saved from mowing lawns.

After meeting a transgender Against Me! fan, Laura felt the courage to share her identity publicly as a transgender woman. The musician’s personal experiences shaped much of the band’s art over the years – particularly their sixth studio album, titled Transgender Dysphoria Blues, which was released in 2014 and has been hailed by American heavy metal magazine, Loudwire, as one of the best rock albums of the decade.

15. Demi Lovato

From appearing in the musical comedy, Glee, to judging on the panel for The X Factor USA’s third and fourth seasons, Demetria Devonne Lovato has certainly been keeping busy. After releasing debut pop rock album, Don’t Forget, in 2008, Demi’s singing career has gone from strength to strength – with their second album, Here We Go Again, securing a No. 1 spot in the United States.

The performer, who received a Guinness World Record aged 19 for being the youngest ever X Factor judge, describes their sexuality as fluid and identifies as pansexual. She told EW: “I think time is everything. The queerness in me was, like, ready to explode when I filmed the music video at Pride. I was so ready to be an activist. I’ve always known I was hella queer, but I have fully embraced it.”

16. Rob Halford

With his powerful voice and larger-than-life stage persona, there’s no forgetting Rob Halford –the frontman of Brummie heavy metal band, Judas Priest. A pioneer of the pseudo-operatic vocal style, Rob also plays the guitar, bass, harmonica, keyboard and drums, and has performed with other famous bands throughout his career, including Black Sabbath, Metallica and Pantera.

The ‘Breaking the Law’ singer announced that he was gay during an MTV interview, making him the first metal icon to come out publicly. The musician also documented his initial struggle with his sexuality in his autobiography, Confess, and says that although his announcement was unplanned, it was a “glorious, glorious moment.”

17. Sir Michael Tippett

One of the leading English composers of the 20th century, Sir Michael Tippett’s music grew in popularity during and after the Second World War. His orchestral works include secular oratorio, A Child of Our Time (1935-41), Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli (1953), and dramatic opera, The Midsummer Marriage, which debuted at Covent Garden in 1955 and was led by conductor John Pritchard.

Sir Michael came out as gay in his mid-30s and thanks to his influence in the classical world, the composer became hugely influential in shaping public perception of homosexuality. He would often base his libretti (text written for opera) on these taboo topics of the time.

To support our inclusive community at Orchestras for All, please donate today >

If you have been affected by any of the topics covered in this blog and would like to find the right support, you can visit our wellbeing page for more information.

British composer, DJ and university lecturer, Jack McNeill, invites music leaders to free webinar

The virtual event aims to empower music leaders across the UK and break down common barriers to using music technology in the classroom.

Orchestras for All is delighted to announce that internationally-recognised composer, DJ and Associate Lecturer in Music and Sound Recording at the University of York, Jack McNeill, will be hosting the second webinar in the charity’s Music Leadership Training series.

Titled Achieving Equity and Empowerment Through Music Technology, the live session will take place via Zoom on Tuesday 24 May 2022 and aims to boost the skills and confidence of music teachers and hub leaders across the UK.

Jack said: “I’m really excited to be working with Orchestras for All to bring you a workshop on demystifying music technology in the classroom, offering some ideas on the potential it has for equitable music-making.

“The session is about empowering teachers and students to use music technology. Hopefully, by the end we’ll be able to remove some of the barriers that people face when using the DAW (or digital audio workstation) and perhaps, to understand how technology might help students and teachers to achieve their creative or professional goals.”

Read more: Tear-jerking performances and togetherness wrap up National Orchestra for All’s memorable spring season >

Pictured: Composer, DJ and university lecturer, Jack McNeill, with National Orchestra for All guitarist, Kit

He continued: “There will be room in the session for an open discussion, so please come with ideas, thoughts and concerns that you might have come across while using music technology in your classroom. I look forward to sharing some of my own experiences and perspectives as well as hearing yours.”

It will surely be a memorable evening for both attendees and the keen composer, who is also a guitar tutor for National Orchestra for All (NOFA) and recently penned the score for the ensemble’s captivating audiovisual track, ‘The Great Interstellar Orchestra’ (watch below) – created and performed by NOFA’s inspiring young members during the COVID-19 lockdown.

While Jack’s forthcoming webinar is free to attend, participants are invited to donate what they can to help the charity continue its life-changing work.

The event comes after leading saxophonist, author and music education consultant, Professor Nate Holder, launched OFA’s virtual series last November with a session exploring whiteness in music education, diversity versus decolonisation and how relationships form an integral part of a music educator’s practise.

Orchestras for All wins award for Outstanding Musical Initiative at the Music and Drama Education Awards 2022 >

With thousands of music educators across the UK still facing significant challenges as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, the need to provide support and improve access to music-making is growing.

That’s why to complement the webinars, 10 online modules have become available as part of the charity’s Music Leadership Training course – providing flexible, hands-on guidance through short videos filmed in real life contexts and in partnership with leading practitioners.

As well as covering traditional conducting techniques, the course invites music leaders to reflect on approaches to group composing, learning music by ear, teaching music without notation and arranging music for inclusive ensembles. 

Thank you to each of our loyal funders, individual donors and supporters as well as The Rachel Baker Memorial Charity – without you, our Music Leadership Training programme and webinar series would not be possible.

Achieving Equity and Empowerment Through Music Technology will be available to livestream via Zoom on Tuesday, 24 May 2022 at 19:00 GMT.

Sign up for Jack’s free webinar >