BSO Resound has had a busy start to the year touring around Dorset as part of the ‘BSO On Your Doorstep’ series of chamber-scale performances in partnership with Artsreach. Tell us what it’s meant to you to take chamber music into rural locations…

It’s always lovely when we go to rural locations. It’s great being part of the big concerts, but seeing the community and being within the community is a really big part of what we do and it brings accessible music to people who really need it. The two concerts we gave last month not only gave us a chance to get back together playing as a group, but get back out into the community; it was a really lovely experience.

In March, you’ll be part of an exciting new event in collaboration with the 2022 Festival of Contemporary Music for All (CoMA). The workshop provides a unique look under the lid of BSO Resound for established composers, aspiring and student musicians, and music lovers alike. What does it mean to you to be part of this?

As an ensemble we’re really looking forward to working with CoMA, being able to work with them closely and have that collaboration — it’s really exciting. I’m really looking forward to being in the room with everyone and trying some new repertoire!

As part of the National Open Youth Orchestra‘s (NOYO) first UK tour you’ll perform a brand new work — co-commissioned by the BSO and NOYO — by Alexander Campkin entitled ‘What Fear We Then?’  How much are you looking forward to performing this work?

We’ll be part of NOYO’s residential course this spring, so we’re looking forward to getting to know their musical personalities and exploring how we work together. This opportunity I have personally been excited and eager about for a long time so am very much looking forward to this collaboration with the amazing young musicians of NOYO.

I’ve loved all the works we’ve done with Alexander Campkin: he’s made arrangements for us, as well as the BSO commission ‘Trembling, hoping, lingering, flying’ (ed. a movement of which BSO Resound played at their historic 2018 BBC Proms performance). After years of working with Alex it’s really exciting to bring this new piece to the stage. To be working with NOYO too, with the educational and outreach benefits of delivering this new piece for both old and young players together, is really exciting.

As audiences and musicians return to the concert hall do you have any final messages for people re-discovering live music this year?

One of the things we’ve discovered through the pandemic is that music doesn’t always have to be in-person, you can access the live experience through streaming. So no matter who you are or where you are, whether you’re abled or disabled, to utilise all the platforms music is available on and shared on is really important.

BSO Resound perform alongside musicians of the National Open Youth Orchestra when they make their stage debut this spring. See the musicians together at Lighthouse, Poole on 21 May, or via live stream.

Allianz Musical Insurance (AMI) is a Supporting Partner of BSO Resound, and covers all kinds of musical instruments and equipment, from rare makes to everyday classics. AMI has recently re-developed its Personal Accident policy, adding a  number of new cover extensions including a temporary total disablement benefit and the ability to claim up to £1000 towards instruments being adapted, helping you to keep playing following an injury.