English

London attracts many top-class artists from all over the world. The London Symphony Orchestra is the oldest independent orchestra in the UK, still boasting the largest number of concerts in London. However, their mission is not only to host world-class concerts in the hall, but also to provide music education and community programmes to more than 40,000 people each year through LSO Discovery. How is the education programme developed by one of the top orchestras in the world?

Home of the LSO: The Barbican

The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) was founded as Britain's first independent,self-governing orchestra, owned by its players. Since it gave its first concert, conducted by Hans Richter, at the Queen's Hall in London in 1904, it has always played a pioneering role in the British music scene: working with the world's leading conductors and players; performing many world premieres; touring to Paris in 1906 as the first British orchestra to perform abroad; being actively involved in gramophone recordings and film music from the early age. The first British orchestra to visit Japan in 1963 was also the LSO. Now, it promotes more concerts than any other classical music organization in London, and makes most recordings in the world. You cannot talk about the music scene in London without mentioning the LSO.

The LSO is based at the Barbican Centre which opened in east London in 1982, as the first resident orchestra in London. Apart from its income through concerts and recordings, its broad activities are supported by funding from Arts Council England and the City of London Corporation, through corporate partnerships, grants from Trusts and Foundation, and donations by individuals.

LSO St Luke's

It was 22 years ago, in 1988, that the LSO established an education policy and founded LSO Discovery, aiming to draw in more people to enjoy music from the local community and around the world. As part of expanding the education and community programme in the 1990s, the LSO raised the idea of rebuilding the disused 18th century church called St Luke's, which is within walking distance of the Barbican, as a base for LSO Discovery. The £18-million-budget project of the conversion of the old church into a music centre, with modernized interior facilities, while preserving the heritage value of the church, was realized with funding from both the Arts and Heritage Lotteries, and total back up by the global financial firm, the UBS.

At the end of 2002, the formal church was reborn as 'the LSO St Luke's, the UBS and LSO music education centre', with a 372-seat hall, several rooms for workshops, lessons and music technology, and an office. Thus, the LSO got the environment, in addition to big concerts at the hall, to engage local people in a small but close and sustainable relationship. On the other hand, the local people got a place where they could visit to experience some music concerts and workshops, other than just waiting for unpredictable one-off events or for the lucky occasions of orchestra visit to their schools or hospitals.

Brochure about LSO Discovery

More than 40,000 people are getting involved in LSO Discovery every year, at the Barbican, LSO St Luke's, and other places, such as local schools, hospitals and community centres. With the motto, 'Discover People', LSO Discovery aims to provide people with opportunities to meet the orchestra, experience the power of music, and add an extra dimension to LSO concerts. Sir Colin Davis, who was appointed President of the LSO after serving for a long time as its principal conductor, says, "Music moves people so deeply. LSO Discovery means that everyone can experience its special powers, even if they have never been inside a traditional concert hall".

As stated 'for everyone', LSO Discovery has quite a broad range of projects. Starting from one year old, with 'Early Years Music Workshops' at St Luke's, there are 'Concerts for under-5s', Family workshops and concerts for under-12s, Digital Technology sessions and choirs for young people, Lunchtime Concerts, a Community Choir and Gamelan Groups for all ages, and then projects for older people, to cover all age groups.

In addition, it deals with people of all abilities. Most of the projects for children and the public do not require prior music experience. It also develops 'Open Door' projects specifically for people with physical and mental disabilities; on the other hand, taking advantage of the highly skilled LSO musicians, there are dream-like projects to give talented young 'stars' rare opportunities to work with them. There are also training sessions for school teachers about how to use music in classrooms, aiming to empower the person who can deliver a musical experience to more children.

LSO Discovery event guide

The coverage of the living area of the participants also varies. The regular workshops, classes and choir held at LSO St Luke's are basically targeted at local people. The LSO also connects to the community through visiting local schools and hospitals. These programmes happen regularly, for example weekly for a few weeks, enabling people to absorb the experience slowly and make music into a habit in their daily life, while contributing to building the community through music. On the other hand, one-off family concerts, lunchtime concerts and school concerts at the Barbican and LSO St Luke's attract many people from a wider area. It connects with a much broader range of students in the UK and abroad through computers and video conferences.

The Barbican Centre

As seen above, there are a variety of one-off and series of programmes under the name of LSO Discovery, with more than one event simultaneously happening almost every day, inside and outside the Barbican and LSO St Luke's. Here is a list of examples of the programme.

There are always new projects being developed. Next, I am going to introduce a project for the very youngest generation; babies and toddlers.

Report: Chigusa Futako