Photo: Lora Sansun

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields is strongly committed to enabling dynamic, inspiring and extraordinary music-making projects that provide new opportunities for community members to engage in music and explore their creativity.

Our community programme, Outward Sound, includes a range of education, outreach and audience development activities, inviting audiences and the groups we collaborate with to engage with their innate musicality, our repertoire and the life of the orchestra. In tandem with our performances and extensive tours, Outward Sound reaches out and makes meaningful connections with communities across the globe. Our projects are wide-ranging and open to participants of all ages, backgrounds and abilities bringing opportunities to those who otherwise may not have access to music.

Promoting creativity, individuality and interpretation is central to Outward Sound’s mission, and we achieve this through activities that encourage participants to explore their musicality whilst engaging with orchestral repertoire. Outward Sound also provides valuable and new creative experiences for our players through collaboration with members of the community.

Forthcoming projects

Siemens schools workshop programme

This summer members of the orchestra will be visiting Nottingham, Frimley and Newcastle, working with primary and secondary school children including those with additional education needs, to create new music inspired by Alec Roth’s Concerto for Guitar and String Orchestra. This work was performed by the orchestra in locations around the UK during the 2010/11 season.

Southbank Sinfonia

Continuing our long-term partnership with the orchestra for young professional musicians, the Academy will make a second annual visit in September, to play side-by-side with the Southbank Sinfonia, providing professional development opportunities and guidance in ensemble skills.

JAM and Soundtrack projects

This year we will commence two new music-making projects with homeless adults in Westminster. Both projects will encourage empowerment through music and offer a variety of routes for its participants to build their confidence and use their artistic abilities.

FUSE ensemble

Partnering with youth groups in our home borough of Islington, our musicians will collaborate with young people with little access to music-making to create their own songs and music.

Twinkle, twinkle

This autumn, we are pleased to be launching our new project encouraging music-making by 0-4 year olds and their carers. With the help of Islington’s Education and Young People Services we are aiming to support vulnerable and looked after children, to encourage trust and a greater bond between adult and child in challenging circumstances.

Garden Music

Inspired by Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera, the orchestra will be creating new works and exploring the heritage of gardens via music in our innovative creative project with schoolchildren in Islington.