The programme includes the world premiere of Falling by award-winning composer Kate Whitley. The new piece has been co-commissioned by Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Sage Gateshead and offers a new world of musical colours.

The members of BSO Resound and RNS Moves have helped ignite conversations about the representation of disabled musicians in classical music. They feature as soloists in Falling alongside their colleagues from Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Royal Northern Sinfonia (RNS).

Audiences in Dorset and Gateshead will experience a ground-breaking collaboration this spring, as professional disabled and non-disabled musicians unite in the world premiere of a brand-new piece of music written especially for them. Inclusive ensembles BSO Resound and RNS Moves unite to perform Falling by composer Kate Whitley alongside their colleagues from Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra [Poole — 22 Feb] and Royal Northern Sinfonia [Gateshead – 3 March].

Both BSO Resound, the disabled-led ensemble at the core of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and RNS Moves — an inclusive ensemble which brings together disabled and non-disabled musicians including members of Royal Northern Sinfonia — have made headlines for championing the inclusion of disabled musicians since their formation, both in 2018.

Following a series of workshops with composer Kate Whitley, the two ground-breaking groups will unite to give performances at each end of the country — at Lighthouse, Poole with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra [22 Feb] and at Sage Gateshead with the Royal Northern Sinfonia [3 Mar].

The programme features a new commission by award-winning composer Kate Whitley, who is also known for co-founding The Multi-Story Orchestra.  Whitley’s new work will feature the accessible electronic instruments used by the musicians — these instruments have not historically featured in the traditional symphony orchestra. BSO Resound features a Linnstrument and RNS Moves features Headspace; the former using touch and the latter using head movements and breath to create sound. Both are MIDI-based instruments.

BSO Assistant Conductor Tom Fetherstonhaugh conducts the Poole performance, which includes Tchaikovsky’s First Symphony and Morton Gould’s arrangement of Debussy’s Rêverie. Conductor Dinis Sousa will conduct the Gateshead concert, in which Royal Northern Sinfonia complement Whitley’s new piece with works by Ligeti, Sibelius and Kodály. Both concerts will be available to view via livestream.

Composer Kate Whitley, said: “It’s been a total pleasure working on this project — it’s an incredible group of musicians and we’ve worked to create the piece together, which has been a really inspiring process. I’m lucky to be a part of it.”

 

Dougie Scarfe, Chief Executive of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, said: “We’re excited that BSO Resound and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra are uniting with the musicians of RNS Moves and Royal Northern Sinfonia this spring — and we’re thrilled that Kate Whitley has devised this brilliant new work, written for the instruments and considerations of the performers.

“Much has been achieved since the formation of both BSO Resound and RNS Moves in 2018. We hope that in setting the foundations for this kind of collaborative project — ones that profile brilliant disabled-led ensembles and performers, and commission more repertoire for them to play — we’ll begin to see greater inclusivity of disabled musicians on stages across the wider sector.”

James Thomas, Director, Royal Northern Sinfonia and Classical Programme, Sage Gateshead, said: ““Inclusivity is at the heart of what Royal Northern Sinfonia does, and we’re really pleased to be underlining our commitment to it by this RNS Moves collaboration with our friends at BSO Resound. The two ensembles have already hugely enjoyed their creative exchange, workshopping the music together last year, and we’re now very excited that this new project will be brought to the main stage at Sage Gateshead, giving audiences in the North East the chance to enjoy the music making of these ground-breaking ensembles.”

 

Allianz Musical Insurance (AMI) is a valued long-standing Partner helping Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra over the past five years to ensure a creative and vibrant world of inclusive music-making in communities across the South West through its support of BSO Resound, BSO Young Associates and Associate Musicians.

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s 2022/23 concert season is supported by Season Sponsor Investec, which this year celebrates a decade-long commitment to the BSO’s live music-making.

BSO Resound and RNS Moves unite to perform Kate Whitley’s new work Falling — alongside Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra [Lighthouse, Poole — 22 February] and Royal Northern Sinfonia [Sage Gateshead — 3 March]. For more details see bsolive.com or sagegateshead.com

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