The Association of British Orchestras (ABO) has today announced the next phase of its new public engagement initiative ‘An Orchestra in Every School’ which aims to enable access for children and young people to live music making. As part of the initiative UK orchestras and ensembles, in collaboration with schools and music educators, will set out to deliver over a thousand live music making opportunities in 2025, with the aim of giving over one million children and young people the opportunity to experience the joy and power of live music, no matter their school resources, abilities or disability.

The ABO is calling on the Government to pledge its support for providing access to live music making for all children and young people. This pledge would take the form of a statutory minimum of two hours of active music making every week for all children and young people until the age of 16, and for all schools to have access to live music making.

A recent report from the Cultural Learning Alliance found that, between 2010 and 2024, there was a 43 per cent fall in the number of A level entries in Music, with almost half (42%) of all secondary schools no longer offering Music GCSE. Alongside this, a recent Demos report, commissioned by Music Mark found that the current government inherited a “black hole” in its music education budget, amounting to a shortfall of £161.4m.

The Association of British Orchestras’ Chief Executive, Judith Webster, said “The sobering statistics found in recent research highlight why ‘An Orchestra in Every School’ is crucial. We know that making music as a group improves focus, enhances mood and strengthens social bonds, and there is such a powerful emotion that comes from experiencing a live performance. That is why it’s our aspiration for every school in the UK to either have an orchestra of its own - however they define that - or access to live music making..

Findings show that opportunities for live music making have notable cognitive, emotional and social growth in children and young people and that is why more needs to be done. We know firsthand from our member orchestras how impactful live performances can be for children and young people. We are committed to our ambitious target of supporting one million children and young people access opportunities to make live music; the government has said in the past that live music is a vital part of a child’s education and we look forward to seeing their support during these formative school years.

If there is no live music in your school, you could contact an ABO member orchestra directly, ask the head teacher to connect with Music Hubs and Services, and find out if there are any musicians in your school community and could come into school. For more information about how to make those connections, We have compiled some resources that can be downloaded from our website to help people take action. There are so many different ways to get live music into schools and lots of different resources.”

Barry Farrimond-Chuong MBE, CEO, Open Up Music said: “Through our National Open Youth Orchestra and Open Orchestras programmes, we create regular opportunities for hundreds of young disabled students to make music each year. ‘Orchestra’ can sound formal, but at its heart, it’s about belonging — a place where young people, often excluded elsewhere, can build confidence, form friendships, and share a love of music. Every young person should have the chance to play an instrument and be part of an orchestra — it can be truly life-changing.”

Nicholas John, Headteacher of Acland Burghley, said: “Acland Burghley School is proud to be the home of the Orchestra in the Age of Enlightenment (OAE). Having the orchestra as an integral part of the school has been impactful on our students, who are growing and thriving as a result. Thanks to the OAE, our students have access to high quality experiences in music and other areas, and we have seen impact in GCSE music outcomes, student attendance and wellbeing, and increased extra-curricular and career related opportunities for students.”

Bridget Whyte, CEO, Music Mark, said: “As the UK Association for Music Education supporting both schools and those that work with them, Music Mark is excited to support the ABO’s new campaign. We are committed to facilitating the development and delivery of a great music education for all children and young people in and out of the classroom across the UK. Playing in and listening to live instrumental ensembles is a vital element of inspiring students to develop musically as well as encouraging collaboration. Every school should provide opportunities for young people to experience music making in ensembles and with their peers.”

Barbara Eifler, Chief Executive, Making Music, said “Making Music is delighted to work with the Association of British Orchestras on this campaign. We have over 1,000 orchestras all over the country, in rural and urban communities, from Shetland to Penzance, in our membership, comprising tens of thousands of adult hobby musicians who are passionate about the enjoyment and benefits they have had throughout their lives from gaining access to live music-making in their childhood, usually at their school. They are therefore passionate about helping to make sure that the next generation also has such opportunities. Where there isn’t a professional orchestra near a school, there is bound to be a leisure-time music group, and we encourage checking our website Find-a-Group tool to make a connection.”

Florence Lockheart, Editor, Classical Music Magazine, said “Classical Music magazine is proud to support the ABO’s #AnOrchestraInEverySchool initiative, not only for the clear benefits that collaborative music making brings to young people, but also to encourage the next generation of professional musicians and preserve a future talent pipeline for the classical genre. Building an understanding from a young age that playing – and listening to – orchestral music is for everyone, regardless of background, also plays a vital part in building the classical audiences of tomorrow and securing a viable future for the sector.”

ABO member orchestras have already been working with schools across the UK to support educators with the provision of live music making through workshops, training sessions and live performances, which encourages student engagement. Through their outreach, the ABO members demonstrate the accessibility and openness of orchestras, with many members of mixed ability enjoying live music making in a group environment.

‘An Orchestra in Every School’ is a national call to ensure access to high quality music education and creative subjects for all children and young people, investing in music education and skills development. The initiative is part of the ABO’s #MusicThatMovesYou public campaign, in which was launched in May 2024 and highlights the value of UK orchestras in our everyday lives, cultural heritage, communities and economy.

Along with campaign partners Classic FM, Music Mark, Live, UK Music, Musicians’ Union, Independent Society of Musicians, Classical Music Magazine and Making Music, the ABO and its 200 member orchestras, ranging from small non-professional ensembles to some of the world’s most recognised national orchestras, will share – and celebrate – the incredible work that UK orchestras do on and off the stage.

To find out more about how you can support ‘An Orchestra in Every School’, access the free toolkit, and find your nearest ABO member orchestra, please visit: https://abo.org.uk/what-we-do/championing/anorchestraineveryschool

For more information on the Association of British Orchestras’ campaign, please contact Midas: hannah.bright@midas-group.com | amelia.knight@midas-group.com | henrietta.richardson@midas-group.com | (0)20 7361 7860

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