Brent Ensemble Explosion started in 2019 and aimed to establish 3 new ensembles with Brent Music Service (BMS) in 2020. One of these ensembles was Brent Bridge Orchestra. This ensemble was being established for the gap in provision for young people who have just began learning an instrument but who have not passed any exams or grades and are therefore not ready for junior orchestra.

Bridge Orchestra is an ensemble to show these young people that there is more to music making than individual music lessons, that it can also be a social experience. BMS set these ensembles up in the autumn of 2020. The ensembles have mainly been meeting online since their inception. In May 2021 we offered live creative composition sessions with RPO musicians to these ensembles as well as young musicians who were interested in joining this new ensemble.

 A BMS Brass Tutor commented:

"Just wanted to say a massive thank you to the RPO for the wonderful workshop that they gave to the beginner musicians of Brent Music Service and in particular to my brass students!

I was totally overwhelmed by the sheer enthusiasm that the children displayed in their lessons having attended the workshop at the weekend. I was told about the workshops in great detail and even showed new fingerings that they had learnt even though they had already been taught the fingerings by me!

I'm a firm believer that it is at this age where the foundations and a love for music are forged and if children can be inspired at an early age they tend to stick with it as it becomes part of their life.

A number of them have now enrolled for the BMS Bridge Orchestras as a result of the workshops which has helped with recruitment.

Thank you once again for inspiring my students and I look forward to the next one!"

Brent Ensemble Explosion project is funded by John Lyon’s Charity.

Find out more about RPO Resound here.