We're participating in the Arts for Impact campaign from Tuesday 18 – Tuesday 25 March (noon)
We are raising funds to support our national education programme, Musical Connections.
The Musical Connections programme is dedicated to transforming the lives of hundreds of students with special educational needs and disabilities. Through our collaboration, we help them build confidence, enhance concentration, and improve social skills.
We are expanding our programme and consolidating our work to reach more young people from different parts of the UK who do not have access to high-quality music education. Our aim is to cover the fees for our wonderful OAE musicians for the programme to run across three London boroughs, Wiltshire, Plymouth, and Norfolk.
Fully funded by donations, your support will enable us to work with young people in these areas over the next 12 months.
Even if we reach our target and unlock all £10,000 of match funding, you can still donate to the campaign. Your donation won’t be doubled, but it will make a big impact on the young people we work with.
All donations to the campaign should be made between Tuesday 18 and Tuesday 25 March (midday) via the OAE campaign page of the Big Give’s website.
“I’ve seen the children grow in confidence, I’ve seen them learn new skills, I’ve seen them throw out ideas to make compositions that you would never ever expect them to do that kind of thing. They obviously feel really, really comfortable with the musicians who have been coming in.”
Music Coordinator
Why do we run Musical Connections?
Students with additional needs can face significant academic and social challenges at school. They are more likely to feel lonely, have poorer educational outcomes and are at a higher risk of exclusion than their peers. These challenges can have a detrimental impact on their mental health and overall wellbeing. Many students across the UK have little to no exposure to live music-making and performance of any kind, or the skills associated with this industry.
Music is an equalizer which empowers verbal and non-verbal students to express themselves and facilitates emotional regulation. At our partner schools, many students come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and struggle to access support services.
Musical Connection enables students to work closely with OAE musicians in 1 — 3 hour sessions to compose, improvise, and rehearse music, creating inclusive pathways to wellbeing and expanding mental health support in the schools.
“Just seeing the look on her face and how happy and excited she gets when she’s playing the music has been great to see.”
Participant's parent
What’s the Impact?
Arts participation cultivates vital skills that support educational, social and personal development:
- Increased self-esteem, autonomy and resilience
- Communication and relationship-building
- Critical thinking and originality
School staff shared that providing opportunities for socialisation and life skill development for students was challenging in a formal learning setting. Musical interventions address this by providing a new environment for meaningful social connection and teamwork.
“Thank you for the music. When I play music I feel happy and free.” –
Student (Thomas Wolsey)
“Musical Connections was absolutely the highlight. Seeing such a varied group of students, who would be invisible or neglected in many schools, take centre stage with a world-renowned orchestra, in front of their parents and peers to perform good quality music, exceptional in some cases, was truly magnificent.”
ABS staff member
Hear from our musicians about the impact Musical Connections has on them
“As an OAE musician I’ve been fortunate enough to work on Musical Connections projects across the UK with SEN pupils. These are some of my most rewarding and valued moments at work as a musician. There is such an inclusive and enabling attitude at the sessions. It’s always a wonderful reminder that everyone has something to contribute when they are given the encouragement and the freedom to participate in their own way.”
– Carina Drury, Cellist
The power of music and dance is clear for all to hear and see ,and collaborating with these students also keeps me learning and adapting in my musical life.
I feel incredibly lucky and grateful to be part of the OAE education team participating in this work ,and my life is much richer for it.”
– Katie Heller, Viola
“I love the warmth of our SEN sessions. It is always fun hearing the students’ musical ideas (which are often genuinely inspiring), responding to them and creating something new as a team. One of my favourite things about our sessions is watching the edgy, anxious children calm down and the shy, quiet ones relax and unfurl. Sometimes this happens over one session and sometimes over the course of several but it’s always amazing.”
– Zoe Shevlin, Bassoon
What is the Big Give and Arts for Impact?
Founded in 2007 by Sir Alec Reed, the Big Give is a non-profit charitable website which doubles your donation when you donate through the Big Give, therefore making ‘double the difference’. To read more about the Big Give, see their website here.
Arts for Impact is a seven-day online match funding campaign supporting arts and culture charities working to achieve societal impact across the UK, run in partnership with New Philanthropy for Arts & Culture (NPAC).
