Full of Surprises!

The inventory gives you an idea of the breadth of work we do. Here’s 2025-26 in numbers.

30,036 Participants
16,015 Live audience
62 Concerts
497 Workshops

61 Primary schools
9 Secondary schools
7 Special Educational Needs settings
1 University setting

…in 19 towns, cities and villages across England.

The numbers, of course, only tell a part of the story. The powerful connections between the musicians of the OAE and the participants are what really makes the magic. Our Education Director, Cherry Forbes, writes in her introduction to the Annual Review:

“As we continue our 40th anniversary season it has been a time to reflect on the past but also the future. Who’d have thought back in 1986 that in 2026 the OAE would be resident in a school, performing all over the world to huge acclaim, whilst at the same time working closely with communities around the country to share our love of music. I passionately believe that music is for everyone, everywhere, whether on the concert platform, in a care home, in a school, in a special needs setting or on the street.

I am ever humbled by our special needs work both for the reaction from the students we work with but also the effect it has on us as players. The continuation of our The Fairy Queen: Three Wishes Arts Council strategic tour in King’s Lynn, Plymouth and Wiltshire has been a wonderful opportunity to share this brilliant work with communities around the country. Our Full of Surprises shows toured to County Durham and York where children were treated to the surprises in Haydn’s symphonies. A new residency in Harrow brought together two primary schools, a special school and a high school (including 150 recorder players!). Our residency at Acland Burghley School continues to bear fruit with our Ground Base, Musical Connections and newly formed OAE Collective projects running throughout the year, alongside the highly successful Dreamchasing Young Producers programme. We’re known in the community and feel very much part of it.

I feel very privileged to be a part of the OAE community and, after more than a quarter of a century working with the OAE, I continue to love it more than ever! Music speaks to everyone in different ways and I hope you enjoy reading about our latest season of musical adventures.”