Orchestral Vision for the Future

The Association of British Orchestras (ABO) has launched its 5-year vision for orchestras – A Platform for Success – laying out the sector’s commitment to taking high quality music to more people than ever before – and calling
on government to support its ambitions.

Under the headlines ‘Inspirational performances’, ‘Stimulating learning’ and ‘Driving participation’, A Platform for Success sets out the aspirations of the sector over the next five years, and calls on government to help meet its ambitions by making a number of commitments – including guaranteeing music education continues to be delivered across schools, improving the tax system to enhance private giving and giving orchestras nationally and locally the opportunity to be an integral part of the UK Cultural Olympiad celebrations.

A Platform for Success states the sector’s ambitions to:

– Place orchestras within the national celebrations towards the London 2012 Olympic Games and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

– Nurture home grown talent and attract the world’s best composers, performers and conductors to the UK

– Experiment with and push the boundaries of technological and digital innovation to introduce new audiences to orchestral music

It also states their belief that:

– There should be a network of ‘Centres for Orchestras’ across the UK by 2020, building on the success of the pioneering Centre for Orchestra, developed by the LSO, Guildhall School and Barbican

– Every child should have the opportunity to participate in creative music making and attend a live concert – regardless of where they live or which school they attend

– But, argues the ABO, without sustained investment and support, much of the good work that orchestras are doing on the concert platform, and with schools and communities across the country, will be threatened.

– Tim Walker, Chair of the ABO and Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, said:

“We want government to value orchestras, fund us wisely, legislate supportively and make a real commitment to maintaining music education in schools. It is crucial if we’re to give our future generations the opportunity to experience music and reap its social benefits that it must begin from a young age – and be a key part of classroom education.”

Alongside the sector’s commitments, A Platform for Success calls on government to:

– Recognise the economic impact orchestras have on their towns, cities and regions and acknowledge the extent of the return on public investment

– Continue to support commercial and public service broadcasters to enable them to provide a platform for and access to orchestral music

– Improve the tax system to enhance private giving from corporations and individuals

– Sustain public investment in local authorities to enable them to continue supporting orchestras, concert halls and local promoters

– Support the ABO’s ambition to provide a live concert experience for every child during their time at school

Tim Walker said:

“As a sector, we’ve made a number of open commitments, set out what we have achieved and what we can offer – now we’re urging our parliamentary and local authority representatives to keep backing us.

“The millions of people in Britain who already experience the value of their orchestras want to see the public subsidy we receive maintained. As a sector we prove year upon year that a little really can go a long way – and make a huge difference to individuals and communities across the country and abroad.”

Click here to visit the ABO Website