Surrey Music Hub’s Orchestra for young people with SEN/D goes international

Within it’s first year Surrey Music Hub’s Unlimited Potential (UP!) has achieved huge things including a ground breaking performance at the Royal Albert Hall in July and an international collaboration at a conference in London in June and recently a nomination for ‘Best Music Initiative’ by the Music Teacher Awards for Excellence.

Surrey Arts, who runs the UP! Orchestra, is thrilled to announced that as well as expanding the project in Surrey they are now supporting a satellite project in a deprived part of Northern Mexico. The orchestra restarts in Surrey this month and there are still places available for young people to join.

UP! promo video can be seen here.

UP! at the Royal Albert Hall (clip) can be seen here.

For more information please visit www.surreymusichub.com/breaking-the-bubble/btb-up-orchestra/or contact  eunhyoung.howell@surreycc.gov.uk

Philip Trumble, Head of Surrey Arts says, “The Orchestra of Unlimited Potential has been set up to give children and young people with special education needs and/or disabilities in Surrey an opportunity to rehearse and perform together in a unique county orchestra. It is the first of its kind in the South East Region and is making quite an impact not just locally but even internationally.”

Jim Pinchen, UP! Orchestra project manager says, “Musical instruments are provided to carefully meet the individual needs, abilities and interests of each player. As well as providing access to traditional instruments cutting-edge technologies are utilised that allow musicians of different abilities to perform in a group using the slightest physical gesture or facial expression.”

A current participant’s parent commented  “[My child] has always wanted to be part of an orchestra, it is a pretend game we have played for some years- …so you really made his dream come true tonight. I know I speak on behalf of all the parents when I say that we are in awe of what you have achieved, and are very grateful for the patience and commitment you have toward our children.”

The Up! Orchestra is by delivered by Surrey Arts in partnership with Rhythmix and Hand on Heart Arts. It is supported by Surrey County Council with funds from Arts Council England.