Overview
“It was off the scale, Open Orchestras exceeded anything that our young people have ever had the opportunity to achieve.” Fiona Richings, Head Teacher, Baytree School, Weston-super-Mare
Open Orchestras was created in 2013 to address a lack of ensemble musical provision in SEN schools. Originally piloted at six SEN schools in the South-West during 2013-15, Open Orchestras has been carefully developed through participatory design with young disabled musicians, teachers and music leaders. The Open Orchestras package of instruments, repertoire and training is now available by annual subscription, enabling Music Hubs, arts organisations and SEN Schools across the UK to establish and maintain Open Orchestras themselves.
Team
Open Orchestras is brought to you by OpenUp Music, founders of the award-winning South-West Open Youth Orchestra, and the team behind the forthcoming National Open Youth Orchestra.
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Barry Farrimond MBE
Chief Executive
Barry has over 10 year’s experience developing, strengthening and leading social enterprise and third-sector arts organisations and is respected as an authority on accessible music technology.
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Doug Bott
Musical Director
Doug has specialised in accessible music making for disabled people since 2000 and has extensive experience as a music leader, arts manager, consultant and trainer for a range of organisations.
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Fiona Ledger
Development Manager
Fiona has worked in both third sector and public sector for over 20 years helping to transform vision into reality through highly successful fundraising campaigns. Her experience spans major organisations in the fields of arts and culture, higher education and disability.
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Helen Stevens
Operations Manager
Helen has worked in the not-for-profit and public sector since 2004, working across fundraising, event management, volunteer management and operations for some of the UK’s leading education and health charities.
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Julia Le
Communications Manager
Julia has worked on building brands through marketing communications for over 15 years, for both big brands and start-ups. Her experience spans a variety of sectors, from fmcg to finance through to social enterprise. She has worked in France, the UK, and New Zealand.
Our Funders
Open Orchestras is offered as a subscription service to Music Education Hubs, arts organisations and schools. We also subsidise the over-all cost of the Open Orchestras programme to us, through donations, sponsorship and grant funding. This keeps the subscription fee as low as possible, ensuring affordability and sustainability for subscribers, which enables more young people to benefit from this transformational programme every year.
To find out more about how you can support Open Orchestras, please contact Annabel Green at [email protected] or call 07375 702508.
Awards
Open Orchestras is brought to you by OpenUp Music, a charity that empowers young disabled musicians to build inclusive youth orchestras. Our programmes have received a range of prestigious awards…
