Paraorchestra were named Best Ensemble at this year's Royal Philharmonic Society Awards last night at the Birmingham Conservatoire.
Regarded by many as the BAFTAs for classical music, the prestigious accolade marks another significant milestone for Paraorchestra, who have enjoyed a highly successful year and are featured in the current edition of Living with Disability.
Highlights have included the world premiere of ‘The Virtuous Circle’, Paraorchestra's first BBC Prom, an extraordinary commission that saw professional dancers join the musicians for a boundary pushing immersive live music experience with the audience invited to move among them as they performed.
An Associate Artist of Bristol Beacon, Paraorchestra also created ‘Trip the Light the Light Fantastic’ in collaboration with Charles Hazlewood, electronic composer Surgeons Girl and AV experts Limbic Cinema, a dazzling immersive show commissioned to celebrate the re-opening of the iconic venue.
Paraorchestra collaborated with Suede frontman Brett Anderson for ‘Death Songbook’, a reimagining of classic songs about love and loss from the likes of Echo and the Bunnymen and Depeche Mode that brought five-star reviews for the resulting album and live shows.
Alongside their performances and recordings, Paraorchestra's unique artist development programme Modulate continues to provide musician-led opportunities for ensemble members who identify as disabled, D/deaf or neurodivergent to develop skills and advance their careers.
As ambitious and innovative as their live work, Modulate provides paid residencies, bespoke training, and mentoring that aims to enable disabled musicians to thrive professionally as confident, independent creators.
“Winning is testament to our Artistic Director, Charles Hazlewood’s visionary artistic leadership, to the exceptional array of creativity from our fabulous musicians, composers and artists, as well as the dedication and expertise of our team of hardworking staff and freelancers,” said Paraochestra CEO Jonathan Harper.
“It recognises the strength of the relationship we have with the wide range of audiences that experience our events, and the continued support and encouragement of all of our venue and funding partners."
This May, Paraorchestra and Charles Hazlewood collaborate with Turner Prize winning artist Jeremy Deller on ‘The Bradford Progress’, an unprecedented two-day musical odyssey from the countryside to the city centre involving hundreds of local musicians and singers, commissioned as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.
In June, Paraorchestra present the London premiere of their boundary pushing immersive work ‘The Virtuous Circle’ at London's Southbank Centre.
To find out more visit https://paraorchestra.com/
Photo credit: Eljay Bliss
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