From London to Birmingham, York to Manchester, Arts Council England’s new National Portfolio Organisation is ready for its next tour…
Spring has long been considered the most uplifting season, with its longer days and flowers in bloom – and at Orchestras for All (OFA), it also means exciting new musical opportunities for the year ahead.
With our first live event for the Modulo Programme just on the horizon, students and music leaders across the country are busy preparing for our next series of ‘Modulo Meets’, which welcome young people from diverse backgrounds to play together in large-scale ensembles – whatever their personal background, ability, level of experience or chosen instrument.
Taking place from 26 February to 19 March 2024, the inclusive music-making activities will kick off at London’s Cecil Sharp House, before heading over to the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham, University of York and Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
We’re delighted to share that Modulo reaches new heights this season, with a total of 41 applications received and 35 schools participating in the programme. This is a new record for in-person Meets at OFA and we’re so pleased to be bringing Modulo’s positive impact to even more local communities across the UK, breaking down musical barriers and improving access to music education for young people who need it the most.
During our spring 2023 Meets, a participant said: “I enjoyed the opportunity to visit a new place and work in some of the different Modulo music spaces. Everyone was very kind and encouraging and made Modulo an enjoyable experience.”
Read more: Orchestras for All’s powerful new Impact Report >
This season, 18 schools joining us are from Arts Council England’s Levelling Up for Culture Places and/or Priority Places, 15 schools are returning to the programme and one is a home educated group. We’re also widening our impact by welcoming our first Modulo ensemble from a Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) school and they will be supported by our Wellbeing Lead, Sasha Mattock.
For the students that join us, Modulo is more than just a music education initiative. For many, attending a Meet can be a transformative experience that goes beyond reading the notes on a page. Our charity’s aim is to empower each young person to express themselves, explore their own creativity and build confidence and leadership skills, while learning to collaborate and communicate with others.
A Modulo musician told us: “I feel more confident in ensemble playing and have enjoyed discovering new music and instruments. I’ve also made new friends through Modulo, who I talk to regularly!”
Read more: 7 wonderful ways youth leadership will empower your youth orchestra >
Modulo values diversity and encourages its young participants to explore a broad range of musical genres and styles from around the world, helping them to foster cultural awareness and an appreciation for different traditions. This spring, our repertoire includes the ‘Allegro’ movement of Symphony No. 1 (1932), penned by Arkansas-born classical composer, pianist and organist, Florence Price, and arranged specially for our inclusive Modulo ensembles by award-winning composer, Emily Lim.
Pictured: A group of Modulo participants and OFA Ambassador, Tashan, at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Participants will also be raising their instruments to play ‘Hornet’, a dramatic video game soundtrack taken from Hollow Knight, written by composer and sound designer, Christopher Larkin. Orchestras for All’s Associate Conductor, Rocco Brunori, who specialises in brass and music education in primary schools and universities, produced the Modulo arrangement, and the work was selected as an OFA piece by Modulo and National Orchestra for All members during our 2022-23 season.
Plus, our inclusive ensembles will have the opportunity to perform ‘I Wish’, a 1976 funk classic written and produced by Grammy Award-winning American singer, Stevie Wonder. The uplifting song, which has been arranged for OFA by our keyboards tutor, Matthew Poad, focuses on Wonder’s childhood from the 1950s into the early 1960s, with lyrics sharing how he wished he could go back and relive it.
We can’t wait to greet our dedicated cohort of school students and music leaders – who now have access to an exclusive online hub of Modulo resources – very soon, and would like to extend our warm thanks to the ongoing support of OFA’s generous funders and individual donors. Without you, our charity wouldn’t exist.
Not attending the Meets but keen to get a sense of the action? We’ll be sharing daily event highlights via our social media channels, including Instagram takeovers from OFA’s 10 brilliant Ambassadors, so do visit our profile and follow along!
Finally, if you haven’t quite locked down your New Year’s resolutions this year, why not join our inspiring network of supporters? By donating just £10 a month to Orchestras for All, you could help a young person who faces daily barriers discover the joy of music-making with others, when they may not otherwise have the opportunity.
