Member Benefits
View the membership benefits and services for ABO Members
Join the ABO
The ABO is the national body representing the collective interests of professional orchestras, youth ensembles and the wider classical music industry throughout the UK. Our mission is to enable and support an innovative, collaborative and sustainable orchestral sector by providing advice, support, intelligence and information to the people who make British orchestras a global success.
Membership of the Association of British Orchestras is open to all organisations working within or to support the orchestral sector.
Membership categories
The ABO has five categories of membership (Full member, Associate, Affiliate, Corporate & Sole Trader, and Honorary), offering tiers for professional performing ensembles, youth and education organisations, international orchestras, broadcasters, festivals, venues, artist managers, commercial businesses and sole traders.
Membership fees for Full members are based on your organisations' annual turnover, and are fixed costs for other membership categories. Please check you meet the criteria for the membership category you wish to join, and the relevant band/tier of fee depending on your organisation. Memberships renew annually in April.
*All prices listed are correct for 2026-27 and are exclusive of VAT
Full membership
Full membership is open to professional orchestras and ensembles which have existed for not less than two years in the UK and undertaken no fewer than 24 public performances.
The ABO board has an expectation that its Full Members will operate by a set of values. We see these as the values of the orchestral sector in the UK as well as of the ABO itself as the sector’s representative body.
Full Membership fees are based on your organisations' annual turnover:
- Band A (£3m+) - £6752
- Band B (£2m - £3m) - £530
- Band C (£1m - £2m) - £3738
- Band D (£500k - £1m) - £2584
- Band E (£100k - £500k) - £1661
- Band F (<£100k) - £646
Associate
Associate members include those who have not yet fulfilled the requirements of full membership, as well as non-UK orchestras, conservatoires, music colleges, and national and local youth ensembles. Associate member fees are dependent on the type of organisation:
- Band A - £574
UK orchestras not fulfilling requirement for full membership, non-UK orchestras, conservatoires, music colleges, and national youth orchestras - Band B - £150
Multiple/Music Services/Local authority youth orchestras - Band C - £106
International/Independent/Student youth orchestras - Band D - £90
School orchestras
Affiliate
£402
Affiliate membership is open to those organisations involved with the presentation, support and commissioning of the work of the Association and its full members, such as funding agencies, broadcasters, festivals and venues.
Corporate & Sole Trader
£402 (£201*)
Corporate membership is open to other interested parties and commercial organisations that support the work of the Association and its members, such as artist managers, suppliers, international associations, businesses and sponsors.
*Sole Traders and consultants providing services to the orchestral sector receive a the same levels of benefits as Corporate membership at a reduced fee.
Honorary membership
Honorary membership is by invitation only and is offered to former administrative staff of British orchestras who have left the profession or are working abroad and who wish to remain connected to the UK orchestral scene.
Not sure what membership is best for your organisation? Get in touch with our team at info@abo.org.uk