LCO and Barnardo's Music Junction
For information about Music Junction events click here
Music Junction - an overview
Music Junction is a groundbreaking charitable campaign developed in partnership by LCO and Barnardo's, the national children's charity. This collaboration is the first of its kind in the UK between a significant orchestra and a national children's charity.
Music Junction aims to deliver new projects which will engage vulnerable young people supported by Barnardo's and other young people from disadvantaged communities attending academy schools. The project also involves pupils from independent schools. In this way it brings together young people from a broad range of backgrounds to create and make music together.
The London Chamber Orchestra and Barnardo's
Founded in 1921, LCO is Britain's longest established chamber orchestra. It brings together the UK's finest musicians for a highly successful annual season of concerts in London at Cadogan Hall and St. John's, Smith Square and for its many UK and international performances. LCO is committed to developing meaningful music education initiatives.
Barnardo's is one of the UK's leading children's charities. It believes in children regardless of their circumstances, gender, race, disability or behaviour and works directly with over 100,000 children, young people and their families every year. It runs over 400 vital projects across the UK, including counselling for children who have been abused, fostering and adoption services, vocational training and disability inclusion groups.
LCO and Barnardo's working together
In recent years LCO has been developing music education and outreach activities which use the inspirational power of orchestral music through its LCO Kids programme. In turn Barnardo's has been developing strategies for using music to support and encourage the young people with whom it works. At the encouragement of HRH, The Duchess of Cornwall - in her twin role as Patron of LCO and President of Barnardo's - LCO and Barnardo's have now joined forces.
Music Junction
Music Junction is the outcome of this ground breaking collaboration. Aiming to achieve long-term social change amongst young people and recognising how music and music-making can stimulate, motivate and engender life-long enthusiasms, skills and values, Music Junction will provide sustainable musical activities. It will promote confidence, nurture self-esteem and encourage participants to develop respect for each other and their wider communities.
The wider partnership
Music Junction continues to bring together:
- Disadvantaged young people supported by Barnardo's
- Other young people in state education, notably at academy schools, with limited access to music and music-making
- Independent secondary schools, their pupils and staff
- Barnardo's staff
- LCO musicians
- Local Education Authority Music Services
- A talented Creative Director
A five-year programme
Music Junction is a five-year programme, launched in Autumn 2010 and scheduled to run until Summer 2015. It will be delivered through 5 individual projects based either at academy schools or at independent schools, each to be sustained for three years. Music Junction will engage at least 1000 young people through high-quality music-making activities.
What is provided?
More specifically Music Junction provides:
- Music making - access to instruments, lessons, training and practice
- Direct experience 'inside the orchestra'
- Concert performances with the LCO and an annual concert in London involving participants from all Music Junction projects
- A mentoring programme for participating young people
- Access to ongoing musical activities in Local Authority Music services
- Long-term development of facilities and resources within Barnardo's schools and centres
- Training for LCO musicians and teachers in working with young people with complex needs
- Training for Barnardo's staff and teachers in providing music education opportunities
How you can help
Music Junction is a charitable campaign with an ambitious vision to change the lives of many young people by giving them special opportunities to be immersed in music and to develop skills and attitudes that will serve them well in future education, employment and training. The impact it can make is necessarily dependent upon our generating income and goodwill that will translate our vision into a reality.
We have an ambitious fundraising target to ensure the success of this project. Please consider how you can help by donating either money or time - or even both!
For more information contact Administrator
Mercedes Malcomson on +44 (0) 20 3397 1298 or email
