Decus Ensemble x Decca Bursary

Producer of a programme providing orchestral workshops and music development grants to primary schools in Leeds, Birmingham, and London

Between August 2023 and July 2024, I worked with flexible chamber collective Decus Ensemble and the Universal Music UK Sound Foundation to deliver a workshop and grantmaking initiative funded by the Decca Bursary.

The project’s key aim was to develop awareness and experience of Western classical music and instruments in primary schools within majority Black communities, particularly those without regular access to classical music instrumental tuition.

Selected schools across England benefited from an interactive workshop led by the musicians of Decus Ensemble which focused on repertoire by lesser-known composers, in particular those with African and Caribbean heritage. We then worked with each school to find an appropriate use for a grant from the Decca Bursary to support classical music-making in future.