Ambitious plan to mark Viva's 35th birthday

Sinfonia Viva, the East Midlands' only professional orchestra, will mark its 35th anniversary this year by enabling more people than ever to experience creative music making.

As well as a packed concert programme across the region and beyond, Derby-based Viva, which regularly plays at both Derby Cathedral and Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall, is aiming to work directly with 3,500 people over the next 12 months through a series of education and community creative projects.

These will include young people aged one to 21, older people with dementia, carers, hospitals and hospices as well as young people and adults with learning difficulties.

This ambitious plan coincides with the launch of Viva’s bid to encourage people to donate £35 to fund its increased education and community work.

Sinfonia Viva chief executive Peter Helps explained: “Our vision for the orchestra is to make orchestral music accessible to all.

“We therefore want to mark our 35th year by reaching more people than ever both through our concert programme and our nationally acclaimed education and community outreach programmes.

“The programme of work is broad and diverse with all sorts of exciting new projects in the pipeline which will take us across the city, county and East Midlands region.

“We will be bringing together people of all ages and our professional musicians to create exceptional music that stirs the emotions but we need to raise additional money to achieve this ambitious aim.

“A key part of our work during the anniversary year will therefore be to encourage people to increase their contributions to £35 which we can further supplement with the tax relief claimed through the Government’s Gift Aid programme.

“As well as public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and our stature as a National Portfolio Organisation, the valued support from private sources through trusts, foundations, businesses and individuals is crucial to our work.

“It ensures that we are able to continue to embrace new opportunities and ways of working whilst nurturing the best of existing practice, making music accessible to the widest audience.”

Sinfonia Viva was established in 1982 originally as the East of England Orchestra because of the need for a professional orchestra for the East Midlands.

Mr Helps continued: “We have come a long way in the past 35 years, particularly in terms of the breadth of our artistic reputation and outreach work.

“Our size and make up enable us to be flexible to the needs of the region and respond to new ideas and opportunities quickly while still fitting with our artistic vision.

“This flexibility is achieved though the vision and adaptability of musicians, management team and partners to explore new work and initiatives to widen participation and stretch the artistic boundaries.

“Sinfonia Viva plays a key role in the social, cultural and economic well-being of the region and the 35th anniversary is therefore just as important to the wider community as it is to us as an organisation.”

“Our programme reflects the importance that we place on music making for and with communities both rural and urban and securing our place at the heart of the East Midlands’ cultural scene.”