1. Inclusion

The most obvious. Also the simplest and best. Students and staff come to rehearsals, concerts and events and become part of our routine – we can do a lot more to enrich this experience beyond simply sitting in rows and listening. It’s all about preparation and animation: talking about what we do, demystifying the music, bringing people into our world so that it is familiar.

An important part of that is ambient presence. Sometimes when we rehearse, we don’t have an audience in the room with us, but the sound of the rehearsal drifts across the campus. Instead of dying in the thick walls of a London studio, the magic of Beethoven, Bach and Handel seeps into the hearts of students as they pass by.

2. Inspiration

The OAE Education programme already delivers high-quality activity in schools across the UK. In particular, we have a very strong relationship with Camden and already work with many of the feeder schools that support Acland Burghley. Acland Burghley now assumes a headquarters role in that project and many of our education programmes are initiated and delivered on our home campus as part of our wider strategy.

3. Collaboration

We devise artistic activity which incorporates school pupils and, working alongside them, achieves an outcome which uncompromisingly meets our normal professional expectations.

Creating new work is an important part of this work. One of our very first efforts was just such a collaboration project where the brilliant dancers of the school choreographed a movement from Les Indes Galantes by Rameau which we then recorded and filmed.

4. Emancipation

We want students to have an incorporated adult voice and role in our work. We think that hands-on minds-in engagement is crucial. There are so many aspects of our work as an Orchestra that can be opened up for practical experience to enrich the student (and staff) community. These are not limited to but include artistic planning, digital creativity, filmmaking, recording, communications, business planning, project management and development/stewarding.

In 2021 we launched our Dreamchasing Young Producers programme which provides mentoring and work experience from year 7 to 13 in all areas of creative production.

5. Demonstration

The key message about our residency is that we think it is a good idea. It’s a win-win because it benefits the school and the orchestra. Both are better for working together – more resilient, more productive, happier, more creative and at no extra cost to the tax -payer. It is a good deal.

We want other organisations to try it for themselves, to reap the huge rewards both for themselves and their immediate communities.