Our second Listen Up! Festival of Orchestras, in association with BBC Radio 3 and Making Music, had a rousing start with the BBC Symphony Orchestra brass under Jiri Belohkavek giving a spirited rendition of the Listen Up! Fanfare by Gareth Wood.  The work is in several formats, including full orchestra, brass and string arrangements is available from www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/listenup or from Owen at the ABO office. 

The Listen Up! Festival of Orchestras 2006 will showcase the talent, diversity and sheer vibrant energy of Britain's professional and amateur orchestras in a five-week extravanga of broadcasts, concerts and educational events.

More than 450 events will take place in 275 venues, including shopping malls, schools, hospitals, and living rooms across the land - as well as in concert halls and on radio. This year's festival aims especially to promote the UK's treasury of dynamic and diverse contemporary British composers. For 36 consecutive nights, BBC Radio 3 will broadcast concerts featuring more than 30 British orchestras and works by 22 living British composers. Performances will include five world premieres, by Sally Beamish, Jonathan Dove, Deirdre Gribbin, Michael Omer and Joby Talbot.

London's leading orchestras gave the public a unique opportunity to witness their rehearsals on the opening weekend of Listen Up! through Open Rehearsal, a Mayor of London initiative. 

Musicians from 30 orchestras will visit listeners' homes to play live concerts in their living rooms. The Musicians On Call scheme returns to enable members of the public to phone in to nominate a friend, neighbour or relative who is unable to attend a concert, for a performance in their own home - or workplace - no matter where they live. Over 100 visits will take place, including a special guest appearance by cellist Julian Lloyd Webber.

Education and outreach are also represented - children from more than 30 schools are working in eight projects to compose new works in collaboration with British orchestras and composers. The projects, devised by Creative Partnerships, will feature on BBC Radio 3 as part of Listen Up!

To attract new audiences, orchestras will pioneer new ways to present their work. These include live video-mixing by 'VJs', large-screen projections, and even audience participation in an orchestral work that mimics a horse race. Congratulations to the LSO, ViVa and Epsom Orchestral Society joint winners of the Listen Up! Concert Presentation Challenge.

"Live music is a distinctive part of BBC Radio 3's unique output and orchestral concerts are a vital part of the rich musical life of the UK. After the success of the first Listen Up! in 2004, I am delighted that this year's festival has such a strong focus on British music. It will play a magnificent role in celebrating Radio 3's 60th birthday."
Roger Wright, Controller, BBC Radio 3

For those of you that missed the boat this year, we expect Listen Up! 3 to be announced in November for October 2008. Watch this space!

Listen Up! Links
Official Website: www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/listenup