TYPE OF WORK
Ensemble specialising in the performance of music of the 20th and 21st centuries. The education programme delivers participatory creative music workshops, with an emphasis on composition.

TARGET GROUPS
Through the education programme the ensemble works with children of school age, young people from socially and financially deprived backgrounds and adult prisoners.

GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT
UK, South America, South Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Western and Southern Europe

COMPANY POLICY
To make deep and authentic connections between today’s music and an eager and curious audience through participatory workshops, internet projects, talks, discussions and cross-artform collaborations. The musicians of the London Sinfonietta apply the same high artistic standards to their work in schools, prisons, and community groups as they do on the concert platform. Internationally renowned composers such as Steve Reich, Harrison Birtwistle, Thomas Adès, Mark-Anthony Turnage and Elliott Carter have worked alongside school children, teachers and prisoners. The music of contemporary composers can excite and engage people of all backgrounds and experience without being watered down.

SCALE OF PROJECTS
Number of practitioners: 3–10
Number of participants: 30–200
Preparation time: 1–18 months
Contact time: 4–20 days

PERMANENT STAFF
Cathy Graham, Managing Director
Jane Williams, Artistic Administrator
Tabby Estell, Education Manager
Claire Willis, Concerts Administrator
Alison Atkinson, Marketing and IT Product Development
Elizabeth Gilbert, Administrator

Tavener in Pentonville (UK, 2000)
A large-scale composition project with adult male prisoners at Pentonville Prison in London.

Aims: The project was planned in collaboration with the Prison Service and staff and governors at Pentonville Prison. The objectives were to encourage creativity in prisoners by helping them to compose and perform their own music; and to commission a new piece from composer John Tavener especially for the prisoners to perform. The project lasted for six weeks in total and was led by a choral director, a composer/animateur and a singer. Five London Sinfonietta musicians were involved in workshops, with another six taking part in the final performance.

Outcomes:

• World premiere of In One Single Moment performed by prisoners at a public concert in the prison, as part of a festival celebrating Tavener’s music in London
• Introduction of a new vehicle for communication: music
• Development of teamwork skills, presentation skills and communication skills
• Increased sense of prisoners as creative people among the prison staff
• Raised profile of the importance of the arts in prisons
• Giving the prisoners a voice through creative writing and creative music making.
  
  

With Homeless People in London
The ensemble lead a second project based on In One Single Moment with homeless people in London. The project will again concentrate on developing creativity in homeless people whilst encouraging them to perform an existing piece of music. The emphasis will be on vocal work. (UK, contact company for dates)