Sir Simon Rattle
LSO Music Director Simon Rattle has announced the creation of the LSO East London Academy, developed by the London Symphony Orchestra in partnership with ten East London boroughs, known to be the most disadvantaged part of London.
The LSO East London Academy will open at LSO St Luke’s in Spring 2019. It aims to identify and develop the potential of young East Londoners between the ages of 11 and 18 who show exceptional musical talent, irrespective of their background or financial circumstance.
The entire programme will be free, acting as a bridge between secondary school – where so many young people drop out of music education – and conservatoires, the vital next step into professional musicianship. Currently the costs of this type of training elsewhere can be as much as £3,000 a year.
The first year’s programme will focus on working with 20 string players. In year two approximately 20 woodwind, brass and percussion players will be added, thus alternating the recruitment each year, building towards the creation of a chamber orchestra. At the conclusion of each cycle of the programme the young musicians will perform in a public concert at LSO St Luke’s, which will include invited industry professionals across the music and education sectors
